Missing, presumed dead?
by QuillSickle
Summary: Kari / Kibbs story: Ari's back, 1 month after holding Agent Kate Todd and others hostage at NCIS. Is there a connection between Kate and Ari that could affect her work? A story from both Kate's and the team's perspective after Kate disappears (or is kidnapped?) from a crime scene.
1. Chapter 1

Please note I do not own any rights to any characters, stories or information to do with the CBS show - NCIS

This is based a month or so after the events of season 1 episode 16 - Bête Noire - when Ari holds Kate, Ducky and Gerald Hostage at NCIS.

(this fist chapter is to set the scene, the story is from mainly from Kate's point of view)

**Chapter 1**

Walking into the bullpen on an average Tuesday, still tired from lack of sleep after staying up late last, night finishing paperwork from our last case.

Gibbs is always so particular about deadlines, couldn't once give me a break. Tony's not much better, constantly joking, spewing out movie references I don't give a damn about. McGee, well not a lot to say, although it can get frustrating when he doesn't understand my tactical thinking in the field. Abby, well Abby's just Abby, too touchy feely sometimes but nice all the same.

But, I know they all care, about their work I mean. Everyone deals with what we do differently.

Ugh, does Tony have to 'deal' with his toe nails at his desk. As I sit down at my own desk, which is opposite his, I say "That is disgusting."

He looks up at me, only just realising I've walked in. "But necessary." He gives me a sly grin.

I hide my amusement by replying, "That will be my defence in court after I kill you – that it was a 'necessary evil'!"

"Ooh, did someone get up on the wrong side of bed today?" Tony's grin still smeared across his face.

Just then, Gibbs swoops in between our desks and announces that a Navy Lieutenant has been found dead at a shore side warehouse. "Grab your gear." he stops in front of McGee's empty desk "Dinozzo, where's McGee?" Gibbs fixes a stern glare at Tony, as if he is to blame.

"Err, he headed down to Abby, said some computer Jargon…" Gibbs doesn't look away so Tony continues, "It's like a different language boss, I can't understand it any more than you can!"

Ha he's in for it now.

"Not that you couldn't understand it if you wanted to, boss." Tony stumbles over his words in an attempt to cover up his mistake. He shifts his gaze between me and Gibbs, pleading for my help.

"I'll call his cell, tell him to meet us out front" I say. Gibbs throws Tony the truck's keys and he gladly runs out of arm's length of Gibbs to avoid a head slap, heading for the elevator.

I smile and reach for my phone. Gibbs puts his hand forcefully over mine so I am unable to pick it up. He drops a folder on my desk using his other hand. I look at Gibbs questioningly, withdrawing my hand to feel across the folder before opening it. It's the case report I gave in last night.

"Re-do it." Gibbs states before promptly turning his back on me and walling to the elevator.

What? Re-do it? Why?! That took me until midnight to compete. Why is he so cold to me all of a sudden? I sigh and reach for my phone to call McGee to arms. Why doesn't Gibbs trust me? He can't know the true events of last month, the hostage situation, and my hesitation…can he?

Ducky removes the Lieutenant's body, preliminary findings show he was killed by a single bullet to the head. Tony and I scan the warehouse for any bullet casings but we find none.

"Our killer's a pro, he policed his brass" Gibbs said, "looks like our Lieutenant was executed."

McGee, Tony and I have photographed the crime scene and collected and bagged any possible evidence. We are ready to move out, return to NCIS. The other two are almost at the door of the crate-filled warehouse, I'm not far behind, when Gibbs blocks my path.

"There may still be some evidence or clues we're missing." He states.

"OK," I reply "Shall Tony and I keep looking?"

Gibbs pauses, eyeing me up, before saying "No…. you keep looking, I want all these boxes searched. Tony is coming with me to the Navy yard to talk to the Lieutenant's co-workers and McGee needs to run computer background checks."

I'm, taken aback, Gibbs wants me working on my own, does he no longer trust me around others?

"You want me to check every crate inn this full 25metres by 40 metre warehouse… alone?" I know the answer but I don't want to.

He doesn't reply straight away, but turns and glares at me like I', some sort of animal, a glare worthy of the interrogation room. "What do you think!" He spites this rhetorical question out before advancing, invading my personal space and forcing me to look up to see his eyes. "Do it." Gibbs snatches the filled evidence bags from my grip.

I stare, dumbfounded, as he turns and walks away without a second glance. Throughout this conversation, Tony and McGee have been silently watching and listening from the doorway. Why don't they say anything. They continue to avoid eye contact with me.

The door slams shut behind them. I turn and observe the heaps of boxes before me. I wonder whether Gibbs had found out about Ari and I, that he treated me differently to the other hostages that day. That I had the chance to stab him, to possibly get out (and get Ducky and his assistant medical examiner out too, as we were held in NCIS's autopsy room) but that my hesitation cost us that chance. To escape. To catch Ari –the presumed terrorist who held us at gun point. To stop the future event of said terrorist shooting Gibbs in the shoulder. He must know.

I shut my eyes, trying to calm my paranoid brain. To stop feeling for a second at least. I don't want to remember how I felt because I felt something that… that I don't understand… and that more than anything, scares me.

I decide I need to focus on one problem at a time. Looking around, I don't know where to start. There are so many boxes to search! I walk to the far back corner of the warehouse so I can work my way to the front. It smells damp, mouldy and the floor is dirty with God knows what.

I use a crow bar that I found outside and use it to open the first box of many.

It's now well into the morning and I can hear the banging and shouting of the work in the distance as ships dock in the harbour to be unloaded. That along with the echoing noise I make as I open empty crate after empty crate, makes it hard to hear anything clearly.

I suppose that was the idea. Not all terrorists have a plan. Clearly Ari is just an opportunist.

A hand grabs me by the mouth from behind, smothering me with some damp cloth. I hold my breath, presuming the cloth is drugged, and try to twist my arm to reach the gun on my belt. But before I get a chance to fight back another arm restrains my torso. I struggle against the muscular grip. My attacker continues to hold me tightly. I attempt to kick out with my legs but my lungs are bursting. I do what comes naturally. I gulp for air. And slowly my vision blurs and my muscles relax. I gradually blackout, with the deep sound in my ear – "Shhhhhhhh.."


	2. Chapter 2

Please note I do not own any rights to any characters, stories or information to do with the CBS show - NCIS

This is based a month or so after the events of season 1 episode 16 - Bête Noire - when Ari holds Kate, Ducky and Gerald Hostage at NCIS.

(the story is from mainly from Kate's point of view)

Chapter 2:

Back at NCIS hq, Gibbs is still in a bad mood. Tony and McGee struggle to supply this angry beast with enough information to halt his frustration. But fail.

McGee stands to give information on the dead Lieutenant, as if he were in court. "Nothing unusual on his phone records, boss, no contact with anyone other than his family and they all have an alibi" He states.

Tony interrupts the silence, "As do all the sailors I interviewed on the ship, boss, no leads there. Seems like he was your average guy."

Gibbs sharply stands making the other special agents jump. "Then why does he have a bullet through his head, Dinozzo?!"

"Good question, boss!" Tony attempts to compliment the veteran agent.

"Where the hell is Agent Todd?" Gibbs suddenly changes the subject, keeping the others on edge.

Tony thinks "Oh, jeeze, last name use, she's in trouble."

"I'll call her cell." McGee does, but to no reply. "Maybe she's driving?"

"Then track it McGee." Gibb's growls.

McGee types into his computer and traces the phone, the location appearing on one of the screens in the bullpen for Gibbs to observe.

"Still at the warehouse, boss." Tony says, standing to get a clear look at the screen.

Gibbs turns his head mockingly at Tony, "Thank you Dinozzo, I can see that."

Abby walks into the bullpen, although not her usual cheery self… "I ran as many tests as I could think of on the Lieutenant's clothes, hands, the bullet, everything and all I found out was that he lives coffee."

"What marine doesn't" Gibbs glares at her, before performing the same treatment to the rest of his team, "Why don't we have anything?!"

Before McGee or Tony can answer, Abby points at another screen in the bullpen, a TV which constantly plays ZNN (a news channel). "That looks pretty bad."

Gibbs slowly turns away from McGee and Dinozzo to look at the report on screen. The other agents do the same and collectively gasp "Kate!".

"It's believed a fire broke out which may have caused explosive material in the warehouse to ignite resulting in the large explosion you can see on screen now." The newscaster states, playing for time as the information on the event is still coming in.

Gibbs orders Tony and McGee to go to the warehouse to look if Kate's outside or safe, before running upstairs to the director's office. Abby is left in a state of shock and confusion.

"Hey! You can't just walk in there!" the Director's secretary shouts as Gibbs flings the office door open. The Director, though surprised, does not jump at the sound."What can I do for you Gi-"

"What happened at that warehouse!"

"Warehouse? What warehou-" The Director stammers, confused at his friend's sudden violence.

"This one!" Gibbs interrupts for a second time and grabs the TV remote on the desk and jabs the 'on' button.

The same news report shots of a burning warehouse are shown and Gibbs struggles to take his eyes off the screen.

"I don't know, this is the first I've seen. Why?" the Director questions.

"Our dead Navy Lieutenant was found there," Gibbs turns back to the screen "and Agent Todd was still collecting evidence there."

"Alone?" the Director asks, accusingly.

"Yes." Gibbs turns back to face him, "We've lost contact with her, I sent Agents Dinozzo and McGee to see if she was outside the warehouse when this happened."

"What if she was inside Gibbs?"

"Until we find no evidence of her leaving, we will assume she is alive." Gibbs turns and walks toward the door.

"I thought you had a rule against making assumptions?" The Director probes.

Gibbs pauses at the door, "Find out if any organisation was involved and what happened…. And I do." He closes the door behind him.

My eyes slowly flutter open. Everything seems dark and silent. A chemical smell still lingers in my nose and my mouth feels dry.

As my eyes get accustomed to the near darkness around me I begin to pick up on forms and shapes in the room.

My head feels heavy, like I've woken from hibernation or something. Confusion sets in as I question the situation I'm in. With a start, I remember the events before my sleep. The forceful arms gripping me, restraining my movement and the sickly smelling cloth held to my nose and mouth. Automatically I try to reach my mouth, as if to check the cloth is gone. As I try to do so, a sharp pain ripples up my arm from my wrist. I stop moving, but slowly turn my hands which are behind my back. Handcuffs. I'm sitting up on hard, cold ground, handcuffed to something behind me. I try to twist my torso around to see, however, the small around of light in the room isn't strong enough to identify the structure.

I pull against the handcuffs, unable to free my hands from them as the metal cuts into my wrists. "Keep calm, just breath." I tell myself. I take a deep breath, but can feel the worry creeping into my stomach. I don't know where I am, who kidnapped me or why. I do know that these handcuffs are too tight for any movement to be painless. God, this situation couldn't be any worse.

Just then the door in the far corner of the room opens, flooding my eyes with harsh sunlight, but tinged with pink light. In a half second I process this is natural light. My eyes get accustomed to the light and I can tell it's softer than I'd first thought. It's sunset, I've been out of it for the whole day?!

A figure, a silhouette, creates a barrier between my eyes and the reddening light. I squint to force my eyes into seeing the details – to identify him. But there is no need, the moment he spoke I know who my kidnapper is, and my blood runs cold.

"Hello Caitlin." Ari's voice echoes slightly off the walls of the room.


	3. Chapter 3

Please note I do not own any rights to any characters, stories or information to do with the CBS show - NCIS

This is based a month or so after the events of season 1 episode 16 - Bête Noire - when Ari holds Kate, Ducky and Gerald Hostage at NCIS.

(the story is from mainly from Kate's point of view) - I know this chapter is short but I felt it should end with the end of this scene. :D

**Chapter 3:**

"Hello Caitlin." Ari's smooth voice echoes slightly off the concrete walls of the room. My captor saunters into the room, stopping short of where I sit, vulnerable and utterly helpless, on the ground. Never have I wanted the use of my hands and arms more than now. I am painfully aware of how open my body is. No protection of my chest or abdomen…. I'm easy to kill.

"I am sure you are wondering why I picked you out to stay here." He raises his arms to gesture at the damp walls of my prison room. "Not exactly what you are used to, I'm certain, but this is your home for now none the less."

I merely glare at him, still unable to see his face clearly as the light entering the room only shows his outline. He's casually dressed in a button up shirt of some hind and loose trousers. His hair is smooth, but naturally so.

I on the other hand am wearing slightly clingy trousers, meaning to be flattering, formal and practical but now it simply seems ridiculous as a man stands over me. My jumper, although covering me up nicely, is still tight fitting. This, with the only remotely painless position I am able to sit in with these handcuffs on, makes me look like I am deliberately thrusting my chest out. I shudder at the thought of how sleazy I must look.

Ari walks around to stand to my right, still maintaining a meter's distance. Ideally, I would not follow his movement, it only makes him feel like he's in control, but I need to grasp some sense of what he's thinking; what his plan could be. I don't look at him for as long as I can resist the temptation of reading his body language (to make use of at least SOME of my training). But now I know his face must be visible in the light so I give in and look up at his face.

He is smiling down at me. I turn away again, I don't want to see his excitement, clear happiness at my helplessness. I try to move to a less 'flirty' position but fail to find one.

"You see Caitlin, after our first meeting at your place of work-"

I cut in "You mean holding us hostage and shooting my co-workers?!"

"Please do not interrupt me, it's very rude." Ari's threatening tone does not scare me as much as his smile, at least now I know what to expect – even if it isn't good. He continues " I have been pondering that day for a long while and I've come to the conclusion that you, and only you believed me."

He seems to pause, but as he does not continue I say, "I would never believe anything you say, you could have killed Gibbs-"

"Ah, but I didn't." Ari interrupts, I'm about to retort that he shouldn't interrupt me when he silently breaths "Shhhh..". He bends down next to me and whispers in my ear "I am no terrorist, you believe me, even if you don't want to admit it to yourself." He lifts his hand to my face and softly sweeps aside a stray hair that was in front of my eyes. I don't make eye contact, instead I stare straight ahead. I feel my body tense at his breath on my bare neck – the same breath that was there when I was restrained and smothered. I can feel his eyes on my face and my body. He touches my shoulder, his fingers brush against my skin. This feeling again. The same as that day a month ago. How does he make me feel this….. this … I don't even know. I suddenly realise that I am showing all this on my face and try to amend my give away expression for one of harsh resilience. But already the damage is done. Ari stands, sighs, and walks to the door before stopping at the frame. He stands to one side of the door so the light still enters the room, he can see me but I am unable to see him.

"They think you're dead you know. Your team." Before I can question this he clicks something in his hand and a TV in the corner of the room I hadn't noticed before turns on. It's ZNN. I stare blankly at the screen, there is no sound, but I hardly need it. The warehouse I was kidnapped from is shown ablaze, then (presumably current time) an image of a burnt out shell of a building in the dying light of day. I'm about to speak when my own face appears on screen in the form of my ID photo, and the title "NCIS agent presumed dead" scrolls along the top. Before any more information is shown, the screen returns to black. I hear someone talking to me, but I can't compute it. My head is spinning. I hardly notice the room returning to darkness. All I can think is "They think I'm dead. They won't be looking for me if the think I'm dead!".


	4. Chapter 4

Please note I do not own any rights to any characters, stories or information to do with the CBS show - NCIS

This is based a month or so after the events of season 1 episode 16 - Bête Noire - when Ari holds Kate, Ducky and Gerald Hostage at NCIS.

(the story is from mainly from Kate's point of view)

**Chapter 4:**

Tony switches off the bullpen's TV.

He doesn't want to read the 'presumed dead' headline above his partner's face. He doesn't want to believe it. But there was no evidence she wasn't still there when the warehouse blew up.

The events of that day kept replaying in his head. They'd searched the local area for hours to find her, all CCTV footage had been checked at least 3 times and still not sign that Kate had ever left.

Why hadn't he insisted on staying with her, if he had they would have finished the job hours before the warehouse blew up. And she'd still be alive. No. She is still alive. She has to be.

"Until they find a body, I'm not going to believe she's dead." Tony states, to no one in particular. McGee was checking the CCTV footage they'd collected for the 4th time and Gibbs was just staring at something on his screen.

"I don't have good news exactly, well not horrible news but, I mean, it proves nothing and so it's not good but not-"

"ABBY!" Gibbs barks as he stands from his desk to talk to the forensic specialist.

"Right, to the point, well I ran tests on all the samples that came from the burnt warehouse and, well, there's nothing that I wouldn't expect to find in a normal house fire. Nothing out of the ordinary." She looks around at the other agents.

"That's it?" Gibbs says, more of a statement than a question he expects to be answered – they have more than enough unanswered questions as it is. He's used to Abby finding something, anything! Kate couldn't have just vanished! "So none of you can find anything, at all, to help solve this case?"

The rest of the team mumble and look at their papers, Gibbs hears the odd "tried" and "nothing to find" from them. He's about to shout some more when something Tony says catches his attention – "It's like someone meant us to find noting, so we won't find them."

Tony feels Gibbs staring at him as the others stop talking. He looks up as his boss walks toward him. "So what do you think happened?" Gibbs asks in a slightly, well, kind voice.

"Maybe….maybe a professional? If they wanted to destroy evidence about the Lieutenant's murder they'd have blown up the place right after they killed the guy. But, to wait until AFTER we collect all the evidence seems ridiculous." Tony straightens up in his chair "unless this wasn't anything to do with the Lieutenant, the target was-"

"Us." Gibbs finishes for him before quickly turning to the rest of his remaining team and saying, "A professional who wanted US there – Why?"

"Out of the place we know, take us to somewhere we don't, 'they' could use our little knowledge of the area against us?" McGee questions, standing up in the heat of the moment.

Tony follows suit "Then why didn't 'they' attack us when we collected the evidence?"

"Because 'they' didn't want us, they wanted Kate." Gibbs runs to his desk, unlocking the drawer containing his gun and removing it. As he runs to exit the bullpen, heading upstairs to the Director's office, he shouts "I want to know everything about Ari!"

As he disappears from view Tony turns to Abby and McGee "Ari, the terrorist from a month ago? Why does Gibbs think he's involved? I thought he'd gone into hiding, or left the country? Why would he want Kate?"

"Well…" Ducky slowly walks into the huddle of friends, "It wasn't in the official report because I didn't think it was necessary to mention, but I suppose, under the circumstances.."

"What is it Ducky?" Abby asks innocently.

"Ari treaded Kate…..differently." At the other's confused expressions, Ducky continues "From what I saw, it appeared that Kate and Ari may have…connected on some level." The doctor struggles to phrase the events he saw, the only other person he'd mentioned this to was Gibbs a few days ago when he questioned the events. "She… she had the opportunity to stab Ari, but she hesitated. I asked her why and she said she looked into his eyes and saw kindness. I never asked her about it again because she hadn't mentioned it since."

"No….no, if Kate had the opportunity to hurt him, she would have." Tony turns away, trying to image the stress of the situation and how that must have been the cause of her hesitation, that it had nothing to do with Ari's eyes….or her emotions.

_Beginning of the next chapter: I'm so tired. I haven't see anyone for hours, I can't tell how many. I can't sleep in case he comes back. I must stay alert…._


	5. Chapter 5

Please note I do not own any rights to any characters, stories or information to do with the CBS show - NCIS

This is based a month or so after the events of season 1 episode 16 - Bête Noire - when Ari holds Kate, Ducky and Gerald Hostage at NCIS.

(the story is from mainly from Kate's point of view)

I'd love to hear what you all think of my first story so please review when you're done reading!

**Chapter 5:**

I'm so tired. I haven't see anyone for hours, I can't tell how many. I can't sleep in case he comes back. I must stay alert. Every minute that goes by it gets harder. I feel my eye lids getting heavy. How long can I keep this up? A day, surely no longer? Eventually I'll have to give in and then what will happen?

Suddenly, a light bulb flashes on above my head. It's filament glow fills the room and, for the first time, I can fully se the objects around me.

It's not as big as I'd first thought – only about 5metres by 4metres –my crime scene sketch practices make it easy for me to judge measurements at a glance.

In the far corner is the door, wood by the looks of it, I may have been able to break it down if I weren't handcuffed. However, there is also a large steel lock on it which would make it immovable.

I turn my head, to the right of the door is a wooden table, with the TV I watched so long ago sitting on it; an old box TV with a wire antenna on top. Clearly junk but I suppose it never needed to be fancy or expensive. I continue to observe my surroundings, there are no windows. " Fantastic" I mumble sarcastically under my breath.

I look behind me at what object I've been handcuffed to; it's a black metal framed bed with a mattress, blanket and pillow. "God, why is that here? What am I expected to do!?" I shudder as these thoughts race through my head, but before I can think any further the door swings open.

I whip my head around to see who it is. Ari's standing there with a plate of bread and grapes, for the first time in a month I see his face clearly – only reminding me of when I last looked into those eyes…

"Thought you might be hungry." Ari murmurs in a velvet smooth voice, that creepy grin is smeared across his face.

He walks over to me and kneels at my side saying "I know you're sophisticates, so I brought you grapes." He moves the plate onto my lap.

"So what? Am I supposed to pick them up with my teeth like some sort of show dog?" I ask, not looking at him or the plate of tantalising food.

"Hmmm," Ari sighs into my ear, so close I can feel his warm breath on my cheek "That would look good," I cringe at his seductive tone "but I thought I could feed them to you."

"Or un-cuff me and I can feed them to myself, fine."

"Oh no, I can't do that."

As he stands I glance down at the plate. This as a bad decision as the sight of the food so close sets my stomach off rumbling. Automatically, I try to conceal this sound with movement; slipping my feet against the concrete. But Ari hears and leans over me so his head is just above my eye level.

I don't look at him but empty stomach continues to growl.

"Here," he whispers gently and picks up a grape between is thumb and forefinger.

My body is battling my brain. I know that if I give in, he has control over me, but my body is craving food and moisture. Like the helpless girl I've become, I resign to opening my mouth. Ari drops the grape onto my dry tongue saying "Good girl, good Caitlin."

All I can think in return is that this was a terrible idea.

It's been a week since that first meal. I can already feel myself giving in, giving up. "Gibbs hasn't come for me. He thinks I'm dead. I'll never get out of here." These thoughts continue to grip my mind in those many ours I remain alone in my cell.

A small door, which I hadn't seen that first day as it blends into the surrounding walls, is situated at the bottom of the bed. It leads to a cramped, cupboard sized bathroom containing only a toilet and tap. Three times a day I'm let out of my handcuffs to go to the bathroom (held at machine gun point to ensure I don't mess about of course). This is the only movement in my day, and as each goes by I feel myself getting weaker. Lack of substantial food and next o no physical activity has cost me my strength. And with it my confidence at getting out in anything other than a body bag.

It's early. I can just about hear the dawn chorus outside. I've figured out I'm probably in some sort of forest cabin, judging by the deafening silence that lasts most of the day. This is the only time when I hear proof that the world doesn't solely consist of this room, of just Ari and I. I haven't seen anyone else, although I think I've occasionally heard multiple footfalls outside and muffled voices speaking a language I don't recognise.

Normally I'm left alone until around midmorning. But today feels different, tense. The bird song's stopped, but it only just started? Something, or more likely someone, must have scared them away.

I can hear banging, smashing the silence. Are they car doors? My ears tune into men's voices but still not speaking English.

My room is filled with cloudy light as the heavy door swings open. I squint to protect my unaccustomed eyes. I attempt to make out Ari's, no familiar, figure, but there's more than one silhouette.

There are four men.

None of them seem to be Ari.

And they're all stalking toward me.

(Author note: Hello, hope you are all enjoying the story so far. I am on holiday for a few days so, unfortunately, I won't be able to post the next chapter for a while. But I WILL, I promise, just need access to a laptop to type it up!)


	6. Chapter 6

Again, I own nothing to do with NCIS... wish I did but I don't.

It's all heating up! If you have a second please review! Or just follow so you won't miss a chapter :D

**Chapter 6**

"Who are you?" I mumble, my voice is hoarse from lack of water.

The only answer I get is deep booming laughter from the men. I try to see their faces, I try and see Ari among them but he's not there. The first 2 men grab my arms, stroking my hair and back. I shiver at their touch and try to pull away but my handcuffs just dig further into my wrists. One other man restrains my legs, pushing them up so my knees are bent. I feel his wandering hand brush against my ass. Gritting my teeth, I brace myself for whatever's to happen next.

I watch the 4th man. He as a shaved head and large muscles just visible under his loose fitting black clothes. He says something in that same foreign language and I feel the man holding my right arm move. He undoes my handcuff on my right wrist. Before I have a chance to react, the 3 men lift me up and throw me onto the bed that I've been leaning against for a week. I try to sit up, to swing my legs off the bed but the 4th man is there and he brings his fist down across my cheek and my head hits the bed.

I'm dazed, white sparks fly across my, no blurred, vision. I can feel myself being forced to move onto the bed fully, my arms being lifted above my head. As the confusion begins to subside I'm aware of 2 of the men holding my legs, no my ankles, down.

They move back and I try to move too but the metal handcuffs I thought I'd escaped have now tripled, my hands have been cuffed to the headboard, my ankles to the base of the bed. I'm stretched out and, again, utterly vulnerable. The men are laughing at my confused state, my head still swimming.

I look down at myself. In the struggle my shirt has risen up, showing my bare stomach and tightening around my breasts. I let my head drop down onto the pillow. 'Upside,' I think to myself, 'at least this bed is softer than the concrete.' I try not to imagine what the men have planned for me.

A few hours later, Ari walks into the room. He sees me strapped to the bed like a sleazy sex toy and says "Oh...oh Caitlin, I'm sorry, this wasn't my decision. They did this against my will."

I try to get a read on him, whether he's lying or telling the truth, but his face is an unreadable mask.

"I brought you breakfast." He holds out a plate with bread and blueberries on.

"How can I eat when I'm lying down?" I ask bitterly, my voice still isn't strong enough to sound the least bit intimidating, but it's the best I can do.

"Here," Ari says, surprisingly gently. He walks over to me, placing the plate next to my chest on the bed. With his free hand, he runs his fingers through my hair, settling on the back of my head and neck; slowly lifting my head up so I can take food from his other hand. I don't pull back or fight it. I let it happen. I can't move anyway and I'm hungry, tired and lonely. Somehow the stress of this morning dies away and I'm calm in Ari's control, if only for a moment.

Back at NCIS, the burnt warehouse was forensically searched and the team now know that Kate didn't die in the explosion, no human remains were found.

But they're still no closer to finding their main suspect –Ari. McGee can't find any electrical trail leading anywhere and all that Tony, Abby and Gibbs have to work with is a couple of grainy CCTV footage of Ari from a roadside gas station on the outskirts of D.C. (near the national park).

Gibbs knows in his gut that Kate is still alive. He's always believed in his team, and himself, but their incapability to find where Kate is, is putting doubts in his head at NCIS's ability.

'No,' He thinks 'If we hand his over to one of the larger agencies, they won't have the personal motivation that we have. And I don't want to live my life thinking "what if I'd done more?" No, we keep searching until she's found. Until she's safe. Until she's here.'

2 weeks later

"Boss," McGee jumps out of his seat, grabbing the presentation screen remote so the images on his computer can be seen by others. "I think I've got something..." He clicks the remote as Tony and Gibbs quickly come to join him. 'Finally, a breakthrough!' Tony thinks, standing next to Gibbs with his fingers crossed behind this back,

"The truck we saw Ari filling up at the gas station outside the national park here" He clicks a few buttons on his remote, bringing up the video and map pinpointing its origin. "Has just been caught speeding on a camera here." He clicks the remote again and the map updates with a new pinpoint, located INSIDE the park itself.

"He could be hiding out in a cabin there, would explain why there's no electric paper trail – he's gone off the grid." Tony says, looking at Gibbs for confirmation that this could be a viable theory.

Gibbs pauses, observing Ari moving in the weeks old CCTV footage to the speed camera photo. 'There's a chance, and that's more than we could have hoped for.' He thinks to himself before saying at breakneck speed, "McGee, find out how many cabins are accessible from that road." Pointing at the most recent photo. "Dinozzo, talk to the park authorities about whether they've seen anyone regularly in that area and who they are."

"On it boss." Tony says, jumping to his desk chair like he'd been electrocuted.

Gibbs headed up to MTECH to talk to the director about possibly utilizing satellite surveillance on the area to track Ari and whoever working with/for.


	7. Chapter 7

Again, I own nothing to do with NCIS... wish I did but I don't.

**Chapter 7:**

For the last 3 weeks I've been tied to this bed. I gave up being resilient to Ari's touch a long time ago. I haven't seen anyone but him for these 3 weeks. When I begin to get lonely, terrified of being left to die of starvation, he's there holding my head so I can eat and drink.

I've just finished diner (bread, I'm used to it now). Ari's standing up from his kneeling position next to me when I say, "Don't". He turns, his face soft in the subtle lighting. "Don't leave, stay." He smiles, the expression I have missed seeing on people's faces. I smile too, using muscles that haven't seen use for weeks. He lays the empty plate on the floor and slowly sits next to me on the bed.

"I can stay, if you want me to." He almost whispers.

"I do." I shuffle my waist slightly on the bed. At the movement, he looks down at my body, but I don't stiffen into my invisible armour. I stay still, almost serine. I remeber how i felt when we first met, the cheeky grin on his face just made me want to smile. His touch that made my heart skip a beat and cause a hesitation that Gibbs hated me for. I let out deep breaths as i release the walls I'd put up inside to contain my emotions. I can feel them now, the love i have for a man I barely know. In the back of my mind I can hear what Gibbs and my team would say if they knew how I truely feel about Ari: "Traitor". But looking into his eyes its like all the hatred that had been pushed on me by Gibbs toward Ari just washes away. In my job I'd always had to be forceful, resilient to protect myself from geting hurt. Somehow Ari can see through this, pulling me out with his every touch. As I lie here, all I want is to feel his touch again. He looks into my eyes. He understands.

Ari leans over my chest, his face above mine. He twists his fingers through my hair, he's done this everyday but, until now, I never noticed how soft, loving, his tough is. In lean my forehead into the palm of his hand. He smiles again and my heart melts. I look into his eyes and he lifts my head.

I open my mouth, ready to meet his. My mouth is dry, but Ari's is soft, moist. At first we kiss lightly, my insides squirm as my body wants to reach out to him, but the handcuffs limit me to only lifting my chest to touch his. He feels this and draws back. I catch m breath. He observes me carefully before smoothly running his hand up my jumper, forcing it to pull up. Stopping just under my bra, I try to move down so he's forced to continue. I don't want him to stop. I need his love, him to touch me. I want him, but I begin to wonder if he wants me back, if I'm not seen as good enough for him.

"Please." I whisper, my chest rising and falling as my heart pounds inside, reaching out to him. Ari stares down at me. I know I must look weak and needy but I no longer care. He reaches his hand into his pocket and draws out a small silver key. The he un-cuffs my hands. I bring them down to run across my face before reaching up to wrap them around his neck. He moves his body over me so his knees are either side of my waist. We kiss again, our chests meeting with every breath. He continues to slip my jumper up and we separate so he can pull it off over my head. I smile as he kisses my neck. I close my eyes as my body convulses it hunger for more, more of him, more... pleasure. I reach down to his pants and carefully unbutton them. He lowers his kisses, running his hands down to my, now clearly prominent ribs. He kisses me down to my belly button before unbuttoning my trousers. I run my hands through his silky hair. Excitement courses through me as I imagine the loving intimacy we will soon share.

I hear the dawn chorus outside. Morning. For the first time in a month I wake with a blanket over me, but with no clothes on and no handcuffs, except a cuff still hangs from my right ankle.

I can feel the warmth from the body behind me. Ari. I smile to myself remembering last night. I've never felt how I feel around him. Like I could live for eternity if only I look into his eyes, feel his touch.

I slowly roll over so I can see him. He's still asleep. I kiss his shoulder, then reach for his hand and place it on my bare waist. I close my eyes, relishing in this glorious moment. I open them to discover Ari watching me. I smile weakly, what little energy I had, I'd used last night.

"You are truly beautiful Caitlin." His velvet voice ripples through me. I allow him to kiss me, leaning over my face and smoothing out my hair. I barely have the energy to pull him back to me. I think he senses my weakness. I remain still, allowing Ari to move his hand on my waist, pushing me gently so I lie back onto my back. Moving to straddle my waist, lowers his body so it only just touches mine. He caresses my body, my waist, and my breasts. I groan at his loving touch, my body automatically convulsing under the sexual tension. He forcefully kisses me, smothering my voice. I keep my eyes open, thinking I could swim in his eyes.

"Shhhh" he whispers in my ear, "Wait" his hands flow down my body. But a noise outside makes him stiffen and suddenly move off me, standing up he quickly puts his pants and shirt back on.

"No, please, please I need you!" I cry out unable to contain my lust for him. "I'll be back, but get dressed." He says. He locks the door behind him as he leaves.

As the last few moments catch up with me I blindly reach for my clothes, doing as Ari says without a second though. It takes all my remaining energy just to pull up my trousers and jumper. I slip my socks back on but leave my shoes abandoned on the floor. Collapsing on the bed, I lie there, now fully clothed, as I hear distant noises outside, but my dehydrated, tired brain doesn't want to compute any of it.

Out of nowhere, the door to my room slams open and the man it the shaved head is there. 'Ari, where's Ari?' is all I can think as my heart starts to pound, panic rising in my chest with every beat. The man shoves me off the bed, I crumple on the floor, shuffling over to another wall, away from this man. I watch, bemused, as he starts removing the mattress, blankets and pillows from the bed. I crawl on hands and knees to the door but another man is standing there with a machine gun pointed at me. At the sight of another armed stranger, I slump back against the nearest wall, no energy to move further anyway.

Once the bald man was finished removing the bedding he turns and shouts at 2 men who have entered the room. They grab my arms and drag me across the room, back to the bed. "No." Is all I can say as they re-handcuff my powerless body to the side of the bed so that, once again, I'm sitting on the floor with my hands behind my back. They remove the stray handcuff on my right ankle.

They're job done the me leave, last of all the bald leader. He pauses at the door, walking back to me. I watch him in what seems like slow motion withdraw his arm, hand in a fist, before bringing it down on my right cheek for the 2nd time in a month.

As I try to retain some vision, I hear the door lock as the men leave as quickly as they arrived. My room is returned to near darkness. Although dazed I, one thought shouts in my head 'Ari...did they hurt Ari? ... God, they're gonna leave me here...alone...leave me here to die.'

A/N: Please review and follow so you don't miss out!


	8. Chapter 8

Again, I own nothing to do with NCIS... wish I did but I don't.

_End of last chapter: As I try to retain some vision, I hear the door lock as the men leave as quickly as they arrived. My room is returned to near darkness. Although dazed I, one thought shouts in my head 'Ari...did they hurt Ari? ... God, they're gonna leave me here...alone...leave me here to die.'_

**Chapter 8:**

_3 Hours later_

I was close to going crazy. I thought I'd die in this damp room, never to be found. But now I hear the faint sound of footsteps outside. I lift my head slightly. It sounds like there's more than one person, but I can't hear any voices, foreign or otherwise. I try to speak, to shout out, but my mouth is so dry my voice barely carries across the room.

For a few seconds, everything is silent again. 'Did I imagine it? Have I already gone insane?' I think but before I get a chance to question my sanity further the door crashes open. A couple of figures enter, shouting too loudly, making my ears ring at the harsh volume that I'm not used to.

The bright morning light forces my eyes shut, not before I notice the stark outline of a gun in both figure's hands. 'I'm going to get shot.' I think, 'Shot in the head, and in 50 years someone will find my rotting corpse.' I close my eyes tighter, not wanting to see the weapon that will kill me.

"Kate? Oh my God." At the distant familiarity of the voice I slowly raise my head and half open my eyes. That sounded just like...

"GIBBS! SHE'S HERE!"

"Tony?" I choke out. As I slowly get used to the shining light, his face becomes defined and I can see the mixture of worry and joy written on his face. As he begins to step toward me, lowering his gun, I hear running footsteps coming from outside. Gibbs runs through the open door, closely followed by a stumbling McGee.

I just about muster a half smile before Gibbs pushes past Tony and kneels down in front of me. "You good?" He gently asks, looking into my eyes.

I avoid his question, doubting I will be a good enough liar at the moment and instead reply "Can you get me out of these handcuffs?" unfortunately, all that as audible was a croaky "handcuffs" but Gibbs understands.

Taking out his knife he reaches behind me to unlock them. I try to thank him, but have no completely lost my voice, so I simply nod and he looks down at me and returns the jesture.

"Lets get you out of here." He says holding out a hand so I can pull myself up. I hold it but can't pull what little body weight I have left up. Tony quickly jumps over to hold my right side and Gibbs my left. They half carry, half drag me out.

Fresh air. I can taste it like refreshing water splashing on my skin. Water, I need to drink something. They let me sit on a log outside and I do a drinking glass motion with my hands.

"I'll get you some water." McGee says. I try to smile but give up hen it's clear I can barely move a muscle anymore.

"Where you here the whole time?" Gibbs asks. I nod, relieved I could still use one form of communication.

I glance around, there are other NCIS agents, some I vaguely recognise. 'No sign of a body, so Ari wasn't killed here then. Maybe he was forced to leave, or knocked out and taken somewhere else by the leader.' I think.

I feel Tony and Gibbs' eyes watching me so I try to keep by face blank. My head is still fuzzy at the rush of events in the last few minutes, but I know they can't find out about Ari and I, what we did last night, they wouldn't understand.

"Here you go." McGee says, holding out a new bottle of water for me. I take it and try to unsure the top, but haven't got the power to do so. Tony takes it and does it for me. I nod my thanks and take gulps of after. Closing my eyes, savouring how refreshing it is. I open them and look around at the team. Gibbs is walking around to stand in front of me.

"Thanks" I whisper. I hope all the gratitude for freeing me can be heard in that one word.

A car pulls up outside the cabin. "You ready to get out of here?" Gibbs asks holding out his arm for me to hold on to. Tony comes around to my other side. "Sure." I say, still a little hoarsely.

A/N: Yep, I know it's short but it seemed like the best part to end on. The next chapter will be posted very soon!


	9. Chapter 9

Again, I own nothing to do with NCIS... wish I did but I don't.

_End of the last chapter: A car pulls up outside the cabin. "You ready to get out of here?" Gibbs asks holding out his arm for me to hold on to. Tony comes around to my other side. "Sure." I say, still a little hoarsely._

**Chapter 9:**

I'm sitting in the back seat of an NCIS car next to the indo. Everything is moving past so quickly. The bright colours I've longed to see blur in front of my eyes. But I'm not really seeing them, acknowledging them. Just thinking about everything that's happened in the past month. Of Ari. Where he might be. Whether he's safe, like me.

I remember that I'm no longer on my own and turn to look at the others. Tony is driving, McGee's in the front seat next to him and Gibbs is in the back with me. I'm glad it's him sitting there, he doesn't show the worry on his face as clearly as Tony or McGee. I guess that's a look I will have to get used to for the next few days, or weeks.

I look up at Gibbs, for so long I wanted to see his face, for him to rescue me. But my head is so confused. Everything seems to be running double time and I haven't yet had the chance to catch up.

"That looks ne." Gibbs states, simultaneously nodding and shifting his hands to gesture at my cheek.

"Yeah, couple of hours before you got there." I pause, reliving the moment in my head. "They left pretty quickly, maybe they realised you were close."

"Hmmm..." Gibbs doesn't take his eyes of my cheek.

Uncomfortable with being looked at for so long, I turn to look at the seat in front of me; or, more specifically, the back of McGee's head. I know Gibbs must still be watching me and I nervously rub my wrists, the marks from the sharp handcuffs clear to see. 'They'll probably scar,' I think 'Physical scars to match to match those in my mind.'

I think back to what Tony had said last time I escaped from Ari. He'd asked if I had Stockholm syndrome, a misguided connection to Ari, the kidnapper. Did I? Is that why I feel for him, something I still don't understand? Or is it love? I've never been in love like that before if it was. Had Ari just been manipulating my thoughts to get what he wanted? Making use of my Stockholm Syndrome to trick me into believing he returned my emotions...but in reality he just wanted to sleep with me? Or had I just been ignoring my real feeling for Ari, that spark we shared when we first met. Yes, it was under bad circumstances with Ari holding me hostage and all...but I may have felt the same if we met in a bar. Maybe, maybe not.

Closing my eyes I think back to the conversation with Tony so long ago. I'd said then that Stockholm Syndrome takes longer than 1hour to develop. And, honestly, I think I was right. That spark...the way my insides flipped when I first looked into his eyes.. that wasn't anything medical...that wasn't Stockholm Syndrome...I really did want to be with him then...I only gave in to my own desire last night that I'd been avoiding...it was a conscious decision that I don't regret...or do I? God, why can't I keep a thought straight in my head!

I shut my eyes, but this only brings up the flashing images of the last few hours: The punch, the rescue, the car. It's all happening so fast. My head is struggling to keep pace and with confusion, panic quickly follows. I can feel the panic rising in my chest. My breathing quickens to keep up with my fast beating heart. 'I don't understand!' I think. I shut my eyes tighter as if to squeeze out the panic, the stress that's rapping itself around my chest, like a python restricting my ability to breath.

"It's OK Kate, you're safe." I vaguely hear Gibbs say, but my head is spinning with confusion.

Gibbs watches Kate as she struggles with some sort of panic attack. He knew she would be different when they found her. He was so used to seeing Kate as strong, independent, even comical at times, but the Kate sitting next to him is different. Her eyes glaze when she's thinking, when before she used to constantly be alert. She shies away from attention, hen before it never bothered her. And no, no she's panicking, she's afraid, she's not...Kate.

"Tony, drive to the hospital."

Tony swerves slightly as he tries to look round to see what's with Kate. However, he's forced to bring his attention back to the road as he serves to avoid driving into the curb. He makes up for this by increasing his speed, making sharp turns to cut the time it'll take to get to the nearest hospital.

"Is she alright, Boss?" McGee asks, tension clear in his voice.

"I think she's having a panic attack, but it might have something to do with the bruise on her face."

I managed to calm down a bit after breathing in a bag at the hospital. Te doctors wanted to run some more tests, X-Rays or MRI or something; I wasn't really paying attention.

They just told me that everything's normal, except that a bit dehydrated (but after being on a drip for a while they're happy I'm not anymore), I'm malnourished and that I have a mild concussion. The cure? Rest. But I don't want to. All I've done is rest, sit down, lie down. I want to DO something, but I don't have the energy.

"Here." Gibbs walks over to my hospital bed and hands me a vending machine energy bar.

I take it but don't open it.

"You should eat, it'll make you strong again." He takes the bar from me and opens it before returning it into my hands.

I still don't eat it. There are so many questions I want to ask.

Gibbs clearly read this need in my expression and says, "As soon as you're discharged I'll take you back to NCIS, questions can wait until then."

I nod and reluctantly take a bit of the energy bar.

1 hour later I'm discharged, with some medication prescribed to help me sleep. I thought I'd need it, I don't want to dream for a few days, just sleep.

Gibbs keeps his word and drives me, in silence, back to NCIS. By now I have a bit more energy but my muscles ache from lack of use and walking is still a trial.

Holding my waist, Gibbs helps me out of the car, supporting some of my weight (what little weight I have anyway).

As we enter the ground floor of the building, those how work there stare as I walk past. I ignore them and ix my gaze on the ground right in front of my feet.

We get into the empty elevator and Gibbs reaches across me to press the 'Level 3' button. I don't look at him or talk, but just as e pass level 2, he flicks the 'emergency stop' switch on and the elevator shudders to a stop.

My knees crumple at the sudden jolt but Gibbs is already there, holding my shoulders up.

He says nothing so I look at him. He's so close, and I don't like it. He moves slightly away and I lean against the wall.

"Long time no see." I say, trying to lighten the tension.

Gibbs smiles "You're a hard person to find."

"Sorry," I say about to joke 'got tied up' but the words get caught in my mouth. I simply look at Gibbs, willing him to say something but he remains silent, "I'm sorry you thought I was dead."

Gibbs tilts his head slightly at this, like a confused dog, and replies "Why do you think we thought you were dead?"

"The news report that first day, said I as presumed dead?" I stare at Gibbs, had I been wrong, was I tricked again?

"We're investigators, we don't assume anything; we look for evidence." I don't look away so he continues. "Abby tested the material left after the warehouse was finished burning. There was no trace of human remains, so we knew you weren't there when it blew up." He turns to look at me face on, changing the subject of inquiry. "I can tell you're holding something back."

I attempt to hold his gaze, defiant that I'm not, but after a second I shift to look at the shiny steel elevator door.

"You can tell me you know."

I continue to look at the door but, carefully picking my words I say, "Some, some things that...that happened...I don't want to talk about. At least not now, not yet." I hope that's enough for Gibbs to let the point drop, but e moves in front of me so I have to look at him.

"You'll need to write a case report, I'll end up reading it anyway."

I feel my muscles tense in my face, this shoots a pang of pain down my bruised cheek but I only flinch slightly. 'Who says I'm going to write it down' I think, 'what happened, with Ari and I, it doesn't matter. I'm out of there he's...he's probably long gone, somewhere I don't know where. It's over now.' I only say these thoughts in my head. I reach around Gibbs; careful to lean on the other all so I don't collapse, and flick the 'emergency stop' switch off.

Gibbs raises his eyebrows but doesn't push the point any further. He moves over to stand next to me, supporting my weight again as the elevator doors slide open and I stumble back to work.

A/N: Next chapter coming up soon! Don't forget to fav or follow so your don't miss out!


	10. Chapter 10

Again, I own nothing to do with NCIS... wish I did but I don't.

_End of the last chapter: Gibbs raises his eyebrows but doesn't push the point any further. He moves over to stand next to me, supporting my weight again as the elevator doors slide open and I stumble back to work._

Chapter 10:

As I'm helped over to my old desk by Gibbs and back into my old chair, I feel like I've been gone a century. In books, when the heroine returns from home from an adventure, they always think "and it as like I never left. " But I couldn't shift the nagging feeling that the opposite applied to me.

Tony and McGee are welcoming me back in a subtle way, just saying things like "Glad you're back" and "there's been so much more work without a 4th team member." Right now, that's about the most communication/attention I'm able to cope with. Honestly, I wish I could just crawl up into a ball and sleep, forgetting everything and everyone.

Just then I hear "Kate!" shouted from the opposite side of the bullpen. Abby Sciuto, forensic scientist, Goth and about the cheer fullest person you could meet, is walking (very quickly) to my desk, followed at a distance by Ducky. When she gets to my desk, I try to stand to give her a hug (she's big on hugs, guess It's automatic reflex to hug her). However, my legs don't agree and I almost full on collapse onto my desk. I manage to prop myself up with my arms, quickly intake breath as the effort of the sudden movement ripples aching pain down my arms and legs. I give in and slide back into my chair. I look up at Abby, trying to pull a believable smile, but I'm sure it probably just looks like a grimace. I can tell that this shocked her. For a moment her face is etched with worry, before she realises and covers it up with her own smile and Bends down to hug me as I sit.

I forgot how tight her grip could be, for a second I'm reliving the of Ari's tight grip as he grabs me from behind at the warehouse. His sudden appearance in my memory startles me and I automatically retreat away from the grip. I realise too late that this as seen by the whole team, they know I relived something, but no one, not even Abby, questions me on it.

"We missed you!" Abby says, moving away and giving me some space. "You OK?" That worried look is back.

I glance down at my raw wrists then back up at Abby, "The doctor's say I just need to rest, get some weight back on. At least I won't have to count calories for a week or so." I try to joke but it falls flat as my avoidance of the deeper meaning of the question is ignored. I don't want to talk about how I feel, whether (mentally) I'm "OK". I just want to lock up that experience and throw away the key.

Ducky fills the silence, stepping forward to my desk, "You had us worried for a bit, my dear." E squeezes my hand reassuringly.

"So I heard." I say. This is the most I've talked in a month, I'm tired and no longer have the energy to carefully pick my words and explain what I mean.

I glance over to Gibbs, hoping e can read what I'm thinking.

"Right, back to work." I gratefully watch as everyone returns to their desks and Abby and Ducky head for the elevator. I let out a sigh, happy not to be the centre of attention anymore.

I look around, everyone is working, but I have nothing to do so I power up my computer. Checking my emails I find I've 53 unread emails. Honestly, I was expecting there to be more, but if people thought I was dead, I guess they wouldn't bother- it's not like the internet's available in heaven.

A ne email pops up on my screen; it's from 'Agent Dinozzo'. I look up at his desk but he's pretending to type. I open the email which carries the message, "This is what you missed." There's a file attachment. I open it and a photo of McGee fills my screen, but he's only wearing swimming trunks and sunglasses, lying flat on some grass. Involuntarily I let out a short laugh. It surprises me; I haven't heard it in a while. Gibbs and McGee look up at me, evidently surprised, Tony is just grinning at me. I smile and say "Nice trunks McGee!" he goes red, which only makes Tony laugh out loud.

"What is it McMuffintop? I thought it as a great shot of you, should have it framed! Maybe I'll have it framed to put up on the 'Wanted' wall here, crimes against nature." Tony leers. I look from him to McGee as the latter replies through gritted teeth, "You told me you deleted that photo, Tony."

"Oh, I deleted the one I shoed you, but I have many, MANY, more." His sly grin returns to his face.

I can see Gibbs out the corner of my eye try to stare at his computer screen and hide his smile. But I can still see it.

'This' I think 'This is what I've been missing.'

A/N: So that is end of part one! Hope y'all enjoyed it. Thought it'd be funny if McGee was the one getting angry about undeleted swimsuit photos of himself, as Ziva was angry at him in Season 6 when he did the same to her.

I will be posting another part of this fanfic, why in separate parts I hear you ask? Well this seemed like a good break point and from now on I will write from the viewpoint of various characters in each scene, rather than just Gibbs' and Kate's as it makes things more interesting (what is Dinozzo thinking?). Stay tuned, watch this space, more coming soon...including a few more Kibbs hinted scenes...Don't forget to follow or fav!


	11. Chapter 11

I still on nothing to do with NCIS, not Gibbs, not Kate and not even Dinozzo...

**PART 2**

**Chapter 11:**

Kate Todd has been trying to block out all emotions connected to her kidnapping, but more importantly, her captor – Ari Haswari. When he disappeared, left her alone in the wood cabin, she thought he'd left her to die. But when Gibbs and the rest of her team came to rescue her a few hours later, she guessed he'd known they were close to finding their location. But since that day, there was no sightings of him. She longed for the assurance of his safety, and his touch. To feel... infinite, like she hadn't before or since that last night they were together. Battling these thoughts are ones which her team have forced on her: that Ari's a bastard, deserved to die for kidnapping her, is a terrorist and a killer. But is he? Really?

In the days after her return to normal life, she'd barely left NCIS HQ. She knew it as irrational, but she felt like that was the only secure place to be. Not only this, but she feared being alone again.

"Go home Kate." Gibbs states for the third time that night. She'd been insisting she had urgent paperwork to complete, but Gibbs knew she also needed rest to help her recover. He looks over at her desk. Her soft dark hair has draped in front of her eyes as her head leans forward, her shoulders are slumped forward too; slowly rising and falling with her every breath.

Gibbs sighs. Ever since she went missing, he'd know he felt more towards her than a friend (and boss) should. For that long month he'd gone home everyday hoping she'd be there waiting for him; To jump out and surprise him with that carefree grin across her face. But she never was. And he has only seen that smile a couple of times since the kidnapping.

Gibbs stands, padding silently around his desk to behind hers. "Kate?" He soothingly whispers, stroking the hair from her face.

"Mmmm..." She mumbles something Gibbs can't hear but remains unresponsive to his voice. He quietly switches off her computer screen and packs her belongings into her bag.

Glancing up at the bullpen's clock, he reads it to be almost midnight. The rest of his team left hours ago and the bullpen's now deserted, apart from Kate and himself.

Knowing she will be extremely tired tomorrow if she doesn't sleep properly tonight, he decides to take her back to her apartment.

Slipping her bag onto his shoulder, he gently turns her desk chair so she is side onto him. Moving his right hand under her knees and left behind her back, he carefully scoops her up into his arms.

She mumbles something incoherent again, Gibbs smiles at himself, enjoying ho peaceful she is against him. He walks to the elevator, elbowing the 'don' button. Waiting for it to arrive, he steals himself a look at Kate's face. He can only just see her smooth cheeks. IN the subtle lighting they appear paler, just another reminder of how weak she still is. Thinking about this, he notices ho little her body weighs, light in his arms. Holding her knees he can feel they are bony, not as much muscle as there once would have been. Deep in thought about her physical wellbeing, the sudden movement of the elevator doors opening hakes him jump.

"Mmm..." Kate mumbles again, rising her momentarily from her sleep as Gibbs steps into the harshly lit elevator. He grits his teeth as the clanging doors shut behind him, knowing how loud they are he glances down at Kate's face – but the serene, peaceful, expression of sleep still remains there.

He didn't want her to wake and be embarrassed and want to leave by herself. He hadn't been this close to her in a long time. Not since she fell into his arms when the Navy sip they were investigating on pitched in rough seas a few months ago. Those few seconds they held each other, her body so close to his, his heart seemed to jump, beating more than it had since Shannon and Kelly died.

Feeling guilty at this revelation about his dead wife, he shakes his head in an attempt to sake these thoughts about Kate from his mind. _I'm her boss, _he thinks, _nothing more or less. I care about her because I'm her boss._

In no time they'd reached his car. Gibbs mentally thanked whatever God as up there that he had remote control car keys, simultaneously clicking the button to open the door. With his right hand (supporting Kate's knees) he ever so slowly pulls the car door handle, swinging it open.

He slides her onto the passenger seat, his hear jumps again as he feels her wriggle against his chest. Smiling he whispers, "Let's take you home Kate." He's close enough this time to hear her response.

"Ari..." At Kate's soft words, Gibbs stiffens; he stares at her face – wondering if she's having a nightmare – but to his horror she has a small smile on her face. _How can she say his name and smile?_ Angry at his confusion over misunderstanding her emotions and thoughts, he roughly reaches across her to do up her seatbelt. He doesn't quite close the door quietly enough in this frustration.

The slam startles Kate awake. She adjusts her eyes to the lack of light. Fear thumps in her chest as she wakes into, seemingly, the same place she left a few days ago – the wood cabin. Her heart pounds in her ears. Attempting to jump forward the seatbelt shoves her back. Before she can grasp where she is, Gibbs opens the driver's door.

"Get away from me!" Kate shouts as she wrestles against the seatbelt, confusion flooding her brain and scrambling logical thought.

As Gibbs realises that Kate must be thinking she's back in the cabin he quickly reaches for the in car light. As the light fills the front seat he holds up his hands, "It's me Kate, it's Gibbs, you fell asleep but you're safe." He runs off these points in a desperate attempt to remove that terrified look from Kate's beautiful face.

At the sight of his face, Kate forces herself to calm down. To accept the truth that she isn't 'there' anymore. She's OK. _I'm Ok. I'm Ok. _Breathing deeply she turns back to Gibbs, now aware she's in his car. "Don't do that."

"What?" Gibbs asks, looking slightly confused. _He has no right to be confused; he's not the one recovering from a kidnapping only to have her boss carry her asleep into his car! _"You should have just woken me up, Gibbs." Kate says, deciding to keep her other thoughts to herself.

"You need rest, and seeing as you haven't left NCIS since you got back, I figured the only way I'd get you home as if you were asleep or unconscious. I didn't think you'd want me to knock you out."

Kate smiles, despite her anger at him, and signs, "I don't want to go home Gibbs."

"Really, I hadn't realised." Gibbs' words are soaked in sarcasm. But as Kate looks down, absent mindedly striking her wrists here the handcuffed rubbed away the skin, he drops the joking tone. "You need to go home," closing his car door, he continues. "You need to rest, to recover."

"How can I Gibbs?" Her voice sounds helpless, pleading. For the second time in a week he thinks: _This isn't my Kate._

Turning away from her anguished face, he twists the keys and the engine starts, "One step at a time." With that he drives out of NCIS, heading towards her apartment.

A/N: Fav and Follow because that's not all folks!


	12. Chapter 12

I don't own NCIS or any characters in it...enjoy!

End of last chapter: T_urning away from her anguished face, he twists the keys and the engine starts, "One step at a time." With that he drives out of NCIS, heading towards her apartment._

**Chapter 12:**

Driving along the near deserted roads, Kate and Gibbs don't talk to each other. As they finish the short journey to Kate's apartment, Gibbs turns off the engine. "Come on, just up some steps." He says, looking at Kate's reluctance to even open the car door he walks around and opens i for her.

Knowing she's still not completely steady on her feet (especially judging by how tired she is) he holds out a hand for her to take as he drags her out of the car.

They reach her apartment door. "I don't even have the-" Kate starts, but stops short as Gibbs lifts her keys in front of her eyes, forcing her handbag onto her other shoulder. Taking a deep breath, she unlocks the door. Stumbling over the threshold she collapses onto the sofa, Gibbs watches from the doorway. In a matter of seconds Kate's asleep again, breathing deeply as her head leans against the comfortable arm of the chair. Gibbs walks into the, surprisingly tidy, apartment.

Pulling the blanket off the back of the sofa, he lays it over Kate's silent form. She wriggles slightly as he does so. Gibbs remembers what he ear her say earlier: Ari's name. But why? He looked down at his sleeping agent, longing to know what really happened in that long month she as locked up. Thinking back to the report she'd given him on the events, he guessed there were things she left out, presumably involving Ari. _Did something happen between them? _He ponders, remembering how Ducky had accidentally mentioned a connection he observed between the two hen Ari held them hostage. _But would Kate ever fall for someone she knows is evil? She's not naive, but she could have misread the bastard!_

Deciding he needs to get home and rest himself, he takes one last look at Kate, letting his eyes skim over her innocent appearance, before heading for the door.

A faint ringing startles Kate awake. In the semi-consciousness of being half asleep, Kate flashes back to thinking she's in the cabin again. But as she looks around, she can see the familiar furniture that is in her apartment.

Stretching, she slowly remembers how she got here. Thinking about how safe she'd felt in Gibbs' arms, she shakes her head, simultaneously shaking the image from her mind. Embarrassing. She'd seemed so weak since she'd got back, unable to control her emotional and physical self in her tired and confused state.

Standing up she heads for the fridge automatically. This is the first time she'd come back to her apartment. The last few days she'd simply sent Abby, her co-worker and best friend, to retrieve some fresh clothes for her. By the looks of if, she also stocked Kate's fridge with essentials. Picking up a red postit note on a tub of pasta, she reads, "Hey Kate! We gotta make you big and strong so I thought I'd help by making your favourite – Pasta Bolognese! Don't forget the greens! Abby xx"

Smiling at her friend's jokey note, Kate picks up the milk, deciding just to eat some cereal for breakfast. Half way through pouring out the cornflakes into a bowl, she suddenly remembers how she was woken – by a ringing noise. Putting down the box, she moves around the kitchen counter toward the front door where her purse, and presumable her phone, is. Her legs ace at all the walking and she leans against tables and sofas for support. Finally, Kate picks the bag up from where she discarded it the previous night. Finding her phone inside, she flips it open. The screen shows her she has 7 missed calls, 6 from Tony and the last from Gibbs.

Deciding that Tony is less likely to shout at her for not picking up (or at least not being as intimidating) she calls him. Sitting on the arm of the sofa, she waits for the phone to dial. S it rings she glances up at her clock.

_Crap it's 9 o'clock! No wonder they're calling me, I was meant to be at work an hour ago! _

When the phone goes to the answer machine, she quickly hangs up and dials again. This time it picks up almost instantly.

"Kate! Kate is that you?!" Tony's fearful voice shouts don the phone, making Kate instinctively pull the phone away from her, now ringing, ears.

"Yeah, Tony, I only just woke up. My alarm clock's probably dead or something so I was still asleep when you called."  
"Jeeze, Kate, we are halfway to your flat – thought something's happened to you." His relief and frustration are both evident. "Oh wait... Gibbs wants a word."  
_Great._ Kate thinks, expecting a torrent of abuse, but is stunned at her boss' calm tone.

"We'll pick you up, might as well seeing as we're almost there. Get ready." With that the line cuts off.

Groaning at how little time she has to get ready, and seeing how awful her hair looks in the mirror, she staggers to her bedroom. She desperately wants to shower, but knowing Tony will soon be in her apartment puts her off the idea. I want to be fully dressed when he's anywhere nearby. Kate quickly strips off her clothes and underwear; she runs to grab some more from the cabinet drawers.

As she does up her bra, a loud knock breaks the silence of her bedroom. Cursing under her breath she shouts "Just a second!" Grabbing her dressing gown to cover up, she jogs (and consequently stumbles) to the door.

Opening it to see her boss' unreadable mask expression and Tony's shocked face. The younger agent's expression soon turns to glee as he looks her up and down. Pulling the dressing gown tightly around her, she steps back to allow both men to enter. "Just give me 5 minutes."

She quickly walks back toward her room, but the fast movement and lack of food added to the general tiredness Kate feel's results in her legs collapsing as she passes Tony. Kate reaches out as she falls, grabbing Tony's outstretched arms. "Thanks." She mutters, annoyed at how weak she must look. They walk together to her room, Tony's arm around her waist for support.

"Trust me, this is my pleasure." He answers, seductively whispering into her ear. She lifts her head to look at him, but Dinozzo's just too slow at returning to look at her face. His eyes, previously on her breasts, twinkle with teenage hormones. Kate looks down, realising her dressing gown had slipped open slightly, revealing the right side of her chest (and her red laced bra). Shuffling her hands to amend this embarrassing show, she glances up at Tony who's retaining a pleased smirk.

"Get out Dinozzo!" Kate says, through gritted teeth; pointing at her bedroom door until the male agent retreats like a sad puppy. Stepping to close the door behind him, Kate removes her dressing gown and shoves on some loose fitting clothes (not that they used to be loose).

10 minutes later, the group leave the apartment. Kate can feel Tony's X-Ray eyes scanning her back. _God he's going to be unbearable today!_

A/N: Another chapter coming soon! Sorry this one's taken so long to get published, I'm just lazy and don't want to type up what I've written on paper! Made it slightly longer to make up for this so hope y'all enjoy. Don't forget to follow and review!


	13. Chapter 13

I don't own NCIS or any characters in it...enjoy!

**Chapter 13**

Over the next few days and weeks, Kate's strength gradually builds up, returning to a level that allows her to start physical training, and work in the field, again.

Sitting at her desk in the bullpen, Kate works through the paperwork of their last case. McGee, Tony and Gibbs ere similarly doing paperwork, all with bored expressions.

Gibbs had wanted Kate to return to normal, but after 3 weeks he doesn't think she's ever be the same again. He looks up from his work to see the unusually quiet field agent read a file on her desk. She just didn't have that sparkle in her eyes he'd loved so much. Ari had taken that from her, along with her feisty personality. He can feel the hot anger return to his chest at the thought of him standing over her, keeping Kate for himself. _I hope we meet again just so I can put a bullet through his head!_

It's early the next morning; Kate had been trying to get to work early the last few days so she could get in some more gym time.

Walking up the near deserted courtyard to NCIS, she stops at a sound coming from the row of bushes to the left of the entrance. Intrigued, she walks around the evergreen bushes, absent mindedly admiring the beautiful colours of the wildflowers. Out of nowhere someone grabs her from behind, spinning her 180 degrees so her back is to the NCIS building but also against her attacker's chest. She reaches for her gun, holstered at her hip but stops as a velvety voice whispers, "Shhh, it's me Caitlin, no need to be afraid."

Fear and confusion freeze her to the spot. Her mind races to make a decision- Fight or flight.

She can feel his muscled arms wrap around her chest. Ari. The man she had missed, almost longed for, yet feared on equal measure. His hands grip her shoulders, stroking tem as he speaks.

"I just wanted to see you," Kate could feel his arm breath on her neck. Closing her eyes she sighs, before shaking her head. _No. He's the enemy. Gibbs hates him, so does Tony, McGee, Abby and everyone else at NCIS. He's a terrorist, a wanted man! _As Kate's internal battle rages, Ari unwraps his arms, still holding her shoulders so he can see her face.

"I don't want you to get into trouble, Caitlin, so forgive me." He lowers his right hand and draws out a gun. "Stay there, honey, this is only for the camera." Ari tilts his head back slightly; Kate looks in the direction, seeing a small CCTV camera fitted to the all. Returning her gaze to Ari, she says. "What do you want?" Trying to keep her voice level and face blank.

"Hmmm...So many things, Caitlin. You for instance." At the lustful look in Ari's eyes, Kate's expression falters causing her to blush slightly.

He smiles at the effect he has on her. "But I know that is not possible with your Gibbs body guard watching your back." He slowly takes his left hand off her shoulder, reaching into his jacket pocket he turns so the camera can't see at he's holding. Stepping closer to Kate so there is little space between them, he says, "I wanted to give you these, help you choose a side." He slid an envelope into her hand. She doesn't take her eyes off of him. "I'd advise you to put it in your bag, don't want your team to see what's inside."

Smirking to himself he watches her subtly do as he asks, following Ari's example at avoiding the camera. Knowing he holds power over her, he continues. "Just try to remember, Okay honey?"

Kate merely stares at him, he knows she is stronger, more resilient no, but he also knows she missed him, even if she won't admit it.

"And, again, I'm sorry; this is for your own good. Don't want Gibbs to think you're working with the enemy."

With no warning, and before Kate has a chance to react, he slams the barrel of the gun into her cheek.

She falls against the bush, sparks flying in front of her eyes. She struggles to regain her balance. Drawing her gun from the holster, she stumbles into the courtyard. Kate's vision is still blurred, all she can see are general shapes of trees or maybe they're people? Realising she won't find him in this state, she shouts toward the entrance of NCIS, "SECURITY!"

At the sight of large figures running toward her he says, "Ari Haswari was just here, leather jacket, black cargo pants, don't know what direction he went in."

The two security guards relay this information into their walky-talkies and more men come out to help the search. Kate spins around, squinting in every direction as her vision improves from black and white to vague colour.

"My Dear girl, what happened?" The familiar Scottish voice of Ducky Mallard calms Kate's nerves slightly as she turns in the direction of the sound. She sees him hold her at arm's length, presumably inspecting the damage to her face.

"Ari was here. Then gone." She struggles to keep looking around, blinking in a desperate attempt to speed the clearance of her vision.

"I doubt you'll be able to see him, or shoot him." He gestures at her still raised gun, before gesturing at her head, "Especially with that bump on the head."

Kate mumbles, "Got to...need to find him...was right here...NCIS..."

"The security are on alert for him no and are looking, there is nothing more you can do. But I can help reduce that bruise swelling. Come one. You need ice on it my dear." With that, Ducky pulls Kate's right hand down, lowering the gun, and leads her toward the entrance to NCIS. Holstering the gun, she takes one last look toward the courtyard, checking the envelope Ari gave her is still in her bag.

A/N: Don't forget to follow, fav and review!


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Hello all. I feel like I've been a bit impersonal so here's my life story: I live in the south of England, it rains a lot but one month a year it's actually really nice, I'm at college (am 17 ½ yrs old) studying Art, Graphics and Photography but I did get an A* on my English Literature GCSE (end of school exam when I was 16) so that counts for something right? I only recently got into NCIS, sadly I can't afford SKY so am stuck watching old re-runs of NCIS that are in completely the wrong order. Stay tuned for more dull life points about me in the next chapter...but for now ON WITH THE FANFIC!**

**Also sorry if some words are missing 'w' or 'h' s because those keys are faulty on my keyboard, I am trying to proofread it well but just in case...**

Surprisingly enough I still don't own NCIS...bummer I know.

**Chapter 14**

When they reach Ducky's autopsy room he sits Kate down at his desk before dampening a cloth and holding it against her bruised face.

"This should help relieve some of the swelling." Looking down at the young woman, Ducky can see she is still on edge, alert to possible danger. Her eyes flicker from one part of the room to another, as if expecting Ari to jump out. He hadn't really talked to her since the kidnapping; every attempt to get her to express her feelings was expertly sidestepped by the special agent who always insisted on having somewhere else to be.

As the cool cloth brings the heat on her face away, she begins to calm. Her previously tense muscles relax slightly as the adrenaline leaves her blood. Closing her eyes, she tries to focus on what just happened. It was all over so fast. The throbbing on her cheek isn't helping matters as her head struggles to catch up to the world around her.

After a few more moments she decides to stop thinking about it, as the scrutiny on her mind is increasing her headache.

Glancing up at the concerned face of Dr Mallard she says, "So what are you doing at work so early?"

Ducky pauses before answering, observing the woman's lack of eye contact and slouched shoulders – looking like she only wants to be invisible –he replies, "I wanted a chance to prepare the deceased Navy officer for transport to his funeral director."  
"Hmmm...Good." Kate answers, clearly not really listening.

Ducky's about to say something when the autopsy phone blares out the electronic rings, causing Kate to leap from her seat and draw her gun. At the sudden movement, her eyes blur once more and she shuts them to try to clear her vision.

"It's alright Kate, just the phone. Here." Realising she's confused again, he holds her arm to lead her back to the chair. The phone continues ringing and as Ducky reaches to pick it up, he wonders if there is damage beneath the surface of her head wound and makes a mental note to call for an ambulance as soon as this one's over.

"Duck!It's Gibbs! Where are you? The security guards said you led Kate away? Is she safe? Hurt? I-"

"She's all right Jethro. We're down in autopsy. She just got a nasty knock to the head." Ducky knows if he doesn't interrupt, Gibbs will continue to shout don the phone. He can hear his anger, frustration and worry but hopes he will contain these feelings around the, clearly emotionally rattled agent in front of him.

"I'll be right there!" Hanging up the phone, Gibbs runs inside, punching the elevator button and leaping inside when it arrives. His heart pounds as the words the gruff security guard told him race through his head. He never wanted to hear Ari's name in that kind of situation again, unless it as to declare his death. Hearing Kate's name had snapped his full attention onto the middle-aged man who had little information on her wellbeing, only mentioning her entrance to NCIS with Dr Mallard. This led to the rushed phone call to his friend.

_God, I hope she's OK. If that bastard hurt her..._

The autopsy doors slide open, allowing the senior agent access to his friends. Kate appears shell shocked, staring blank faced into the distance. Stepping around her to stand next to Ducky, he can now see the darkening mark emerging on her swollen cheek. Gritting his teeth as a surge of anger toards her attacker shoots through him, he glances at Ducky. "How bad is it?" He half whispers.

"On the surface, not bad, but I am nervous of possible internal damage so I called for an ambulance, should be here soon. But... she's barely said a word since. Not about anything, Jethro. I don't know how to evaluate her mental state. She's in shock." Running off this list of information, both men keep their eyes on the silent woman.

Gibbs decides to try and talk to her. Kneeling down in front Kate, he rests a hand on hers. She'd been rubbing her wrists – still marked by the handcuffs that bound them for weeks. She slowly raises her gaze to look at him, but only his mouth as he soothingly talks to her. "Hey, it's alright, he's gone and I'm right here; not gonna leave your side."

Kate closes her eyes, taking a deep breath she replies, "Where?"

Opening her eyes, she can see the questioning look on her boss' face so she elaborates, "Gone where, Gibbs?" her voice cracks as the question leaves her throat.

Without being able to answer, Gibbs simply says, "We'll find him Kate." And with that, he heads back to the elevator, determined to find him...today.

Tony arrived at NCIS just as Kate was being put in an ambulance. He'd rushed to go with her and is now in the hospital waiting room as Kate is taken for an MRI. The doctors seemed sure the bruise was only superficial, but never the less wanted to perform an MRI to make sure there was no internal damage.

Tony glances don at the bag in his hands. SO many times he'd gone through Kate's purse to find out about her personal life, any other day he'd have jumped at this chance to search it, but he was no longer in the mood.

Yet again he'd let his partner don. She'd been hurt and, again, he wasn't there to protect her. Sighing, Tony stands to pace the length of the room. His phone rings and he welcomes the distraction from his guilt. Answering he hears Abby's voice on the other end, with loud music playing in the background.

"Tony! Tony! I just got in, Gibbs won't tell me anything, is Kate ok!? I heard she was injured, is she gonna be OK? Tony say something!?"  
"I would if you stopped talking, Abbs." Whipping his palm over his eyes he continues, "She's going to be fine, she's just having a precautionary MRI but the doctors think she'll just have a nasty bruise on her face."

"Oh thank God." He can hear the relief in his co-worker's voice, "They said Ari was here, do you know-"

Tony interrupts, "I net straight to hospital with Kate, I don't really know anything. If you find out something will you call me?" Tony's voice is almost weak, Abby can't hear any of his normal jokey notes that bring a smile to her face.

"Sure. You keep me updated too alright?" Abby responds.

"OK, talk later then. I can see Kate coming back from the MRI now so I better go."

"Of course, see you Ton-" before Abby can finish the other line goes dead. Swivelling around in her chair, Abby reaches for Bert, the Hippo, and gives him a reassuring squeeze.

Kate as relieved from hospital half an hour later, instructed to keep ice on her face for another couple of hours. She didn't want to talk. Talking meant feeling and her heart already felt like it had been pummelled to pieces inside her. All she could think about as ho Ari's smile made her ant to grin. Ho his eyes twinkled when she looked into tem. Then how he'd slammed the gun across her face. He'd never hurt her before. What had happened to him? Or ...had he always been cruel, but only chose now to show it? Her team had been saying how dangerous he as, but until now she hadn't really believed them. Not on the surface at least. But now...now seemed like her world had shattered into a thousand pieces and she hadn't got a clue how to put it all back together.

By the time she comes out of this train of thought and back to reality, Tony is pulling into the NCIS car park. She realises that 2 other agents had accompanied them back from hospital (presumably also supplying the car) _Guess I'm going to have to get used to body guards from now on..._

**A/N: Next chapter up soon so don't forget to follow! And review at your leisure ;) Next one up in a couple of days!**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Right, my life, ummm... ok just going to say what I like: Harry Potter, Disney, Primeval, Doctor Who, Torchwood, Hunger games and, obviously NCIS and NCIS: LA... any questions?**

**Again, I own nothing to do with NCIS, if I did I'd be living it up in California right now...I'm not though so ... yay Britain...**

**Chapter 15:**

They walk out of the elevator and into the bullpen. Tony steals a glance down at her blank face. She still hadn't said a work to him. She remains silent as she slips into her desk chair, staring unseeingly at her black computer screen.

"Do you want your bag back, Kate?"

At her name, she jerks her head back up to meet Tony's eyes.

"Thanks." She says quietly as she reaches to take it from him. Pulling it into her lap, she sees Tony pause before returning to his on desk. Looking down at her bag she pulls out her phone (_15 missed call, great.)_ when something else catches her eye - the envelope. How had she forgotten! Kate reaches in to pull it out before freezing. Glancing around she is aware of how many people are nearby and may see whatever's inside.

Standing up suddenly, her head spinning slightly but her vision remains intact, she answers Tony's questioning look, "Just going to the bathroom." Before scuttling out of the bullpen and into the ladies toilets. She rushes to check the cubicles. All empty. Entering one, Kate pulls down the toilet lid to sit on before placing her purse on her lap. Closing her eyes and taking a deep, calming breath she gently lifts the envelope out, as if it were made of porcelain.

Kate slips her thumb under the tab and breaks the glue seal. The large envelope doesn't feel heavy, but flat as if paper ere inside. Inadvertently holding her breath, she removes the contents. A post-it note clings to the thick white paper, it reads – "_Remember what we could have, Caitlin." _And was simply signed "_Ari." _

Sliding her hands, as if spreading a deck of playing cards, she sees there is more than one piece of paper. Still holding her breath, se flips the paper over. The photographs printed on the large pieces of photo paper cause her heart to stutter and her breath to leave her lungs in a sudden exhale.

The images reveal the events of her last night in the cabin. When she lovingly shared the bed with Ari. One photo shows her pulling him towards her half naked body (although the light is too dark to see clearly and the images are blurred, maintaining some of Kate's dignity). Another shows them under the covers, her naked legs just visible either side of Ari's waist. The last's of her legs wrapped around his waist as he sits up, holding her back as her pleasure shatters her remaining energy.

Kate's eyes water as she looks over each photo. Her heart is racing out of fear and some sort of misplaced excitement. _How did he take these? How many does he have? At if he sends them to someone at NCIS? To Gibbs? What then!? Everyone will think I'm a traitor... he'll think I'm a traitor. God, I can't even think straight._

She quickly shoves the images back into the envelope and into her bag. Leaving the cubicle, she splashes water over her face – wincing as she finally sees her awful reflection. The blue and purple bruise blossoming on her cheek. Trying to ignore this, her tired eyes scan the rest of her body. Kate straightens her shirt and jacket before striding out of the bathroom, acting as if nothing has happened.

She doesn't realise the post-it note fell off the photos in the rush of movement, and is now lying on the bathroom floor.

**A/N: Just a short one so the previous chapter wasn't too long, and I wanted a cool 'to be continued' ending... next chapter up soon! Review and follow folks!**


	16. Chapter 16

_She doesn't realise the post-it note fell off the photos in the rush of movement, and is now lying on the bathroom floor._

**Chapter 16:**

Gibbs is silently watching Kate from his desk as she burries her head in a case report. He wonders what she's hiding from him and why?

A quiet 'bing' sound draws his attention back to the screen. It's an email from a female probie agent: "_Special Agent Gibbs, I was wondering if I could talk to you. I found something in the women's bathroom that may have something to do with Special Agent Todd. I wasn't sure whether to go to you or the director but I hope I've made the right choice. Sincerely Claire Stone_."

Wondering what could possibly be important to him found in the Ladies bathroom, he shrugs and types a reply, "_Meet me at the copy machine."_ He stands and heads for the said area.

A few moments later, the young probie arrives. She's short, only about 5ft, with pixie blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes that could rival Gibbs'. "What did you want to tell me, Agent Stone?" Gibbs growls, eyeing up the woman as she replies.

"Right, err..." Reaching into her leather jacket pocked she draws out a yellow piece of paper. Gibbs recognises it as a post-it note. "This was just on the bathroom floor, but I thought it may be important to your investigation." She allows the senior agent o snatch it from her grip. As the mans eyes scan the short note, his eyebrows rise in a moment of surprise before dropping to cause a frown to crease his face.

"Don't mention this to anyone, understood." It's not a question.

The, previously feel good probie agent responds immediately, "Yes Sir...Gibbs!" Claire Stone rushes back to her desk, thankfully the other side of the room from Gibbs' notoriously intimidating presence.

Glancing between the note from Ari to the barely visible back of Kate's head, frustration at her uncommunicative state boils over. Marching down to her desk he slams the note onto it, making a harsh 'slap' sound. The agent's head whips up from the papers she was reading at the sudden sound. She looks into Gibbs' livid face before glancing down at what his hand had left on the table. The post-it note innocently lies next to her keyboard. Shock ripples though her. _How did he find it?_

McGee and Dinozzo look on, bemused at their boss/ sudden anger toward Kate.

"Conference room, now!" Gibbs snarls as he whisks the post-it back into his possession and, without another glance, heads for the elevator.

Kate shakily stands and follows, automatically taking her bag with her. She avoids Tony's eye contact, keeping her head low so her expression is hidden by her hair as it falls in front of her face.

Once inside the elevator, Gibbs waits for it to move for a few seconds before punching the 'emergency stop' switch down. The elevator shudders to a stop.

Kate looks down at the ground frowning as her mind races to make a decision.

"What the hell is this?!" Gibbs shouts shoving the note into Kate's chest. She truggles slightly but regains her balance.

_Do I lie, deny knowing anything about it or do I tell him the truth..._

"Lie to me and your ass will be on the street so quickly you won't even have time to break rule 6!" He moves to within a few inches of her face. Trying to ignore the flurry he feels in his stomach at the intimate proximity to Kate, he says "Well?"

Kate's head want to tell Gibbs the truth, do as she's told - tell the truth. But her heart tells her if she does he'll hate her for it.

Her head wins over her hear and sighing she reaches into her purse and draws out the envelope Ari gave her.

"You... you have to understand I...he was...nice to me..." Struggling to find the words to explain her and Ari's 'thing' Kate decides just to break rule 6 now. "I'm sorry... maybe I should have told you...but no one would have understood...hell, I barely do!"

She takes a breath and pulls out the photos, keeping them facing down.

Gibbs remains silent, realising she's really struggling to tell him the truth, but at least now she's trying.

" The night before you rescued me...I gave up. I gave in to what...what I thought we wanted...Ari and I...we..." Not being able to bring herself to say the words, she hands the photos to Gibbs.

He immediately turns them over. _God, they had sex. How could she...with that bastard and not me! _This thought tell him his deepest hidden desire he'd been avoiding for almost 2yrs. That he had more than friendly feeling for Kate Todd. But, looking at the blurry photos of Kate wrapped in Ari's intimate embrace, his thoughts are scrambled and he's lost for words.

Kate, meanwhile, reads Gibbs' expression and body language. He'd tenses as soon as looked at them. But what had she expected? For him to shrug it off, say 'OK' and go back to work as if it didn't matter in the slightest?

Feeling more vulnerable now than she had all day, Kate wraps her arms around her chest and slumps her shoulders. Curling up in the hope Gibbs won't notice her. Obviously, this doesn't work as Gibbs drags his eyes back up from the, slightly arousing, photographs to see Kate's sullen face. She stares at his shoes but, lowering the photos and stepping closer to her, he says "Look at me." When she hesitates he repeats it. "Look at me, Kate!"

Kate forces herself to obey him. Looking into his eyes she struggles to read his emotions. She wouldn't be surprised if she's furious at her, firing her on the spot buy, in her opinion, his reaction is worse.

"You should have told me, Kate." Pity. Gibbs' words are laced with the stuff.

Kate's anger at herself for all her mistakes of the past weeks finally escapes her, "Don't give me that pitying look Gibbs! I don't need you to feel sorry for me. To think I'm weak and childish- incapable of doing anything right! It was a mistake but, honestly, I don't know whether I regret it or not!"

At this, Gibbs interrupts, fire rippling though him. "What, so you like him now? The bastard that put that bruise on your face? That shot Gerald? God, you're sick Kate! How can you feel anything for him!"

"Why don't you say his name Gibbs, not going to hurt you!" Kate attempts to alter the conversation's direction but Gibbs brings it back.

"How did he do this to you? Make you weak, powerless, helpless, incapable of making good decisions!?" The shouting match between the two agents stops as Kate falters to answer. She looks away from him, turning to face the wall.

Her voice is quieter, somehow worse than the shouting. "You try being chained to a bed for a month, unable to cover yourself up, protect yourself, feed yourself. And the only...kind face you see is Ari's ...everyday. He held my head so I could eat and drink. He cared for me...when you weren't there." Gibbs' heart falters at her hurt voice, the truth breaking his anger. "You never came and...and eventually you give up waiting. I was lonely...and he seemed to like me...I guess today I was proven wrong."

Sighing at the relief of finally voicing how she's felt, she still doesn't yet turn around. "I didn't want you, or anyone, to find out about this." She gestures at the situation, and the revelations that led to it. "I knew you'd all hate me for it. Think I was mentally unstable or something but...I guess I know you'd find out eventually, somehow." She stops talking, the conversation falters as Gibbs attempts to get the, now completed, story straight in his head.

"You could have trusted me, Kate, I would have kept it secret." Gibbs says, his voice gentler as he rests a hand on Kate's shoulder.

Kate finally looks into his eyes again, but the light has gone from them. They seem dark, desolate of emotion, in Gibbs' opinion. The truth was, Kate didn't want him to see the secret she was keeping from - that even after everything Ari's done, and with his inflicted bruise on her cheek still tingling, she knew she still wanted him close. These photos, now in her boss' hands, only strengthened this desire to be with Ari that she'd been attempting to bury deep inside. Now, it was gradually clawing its way back to her heart. And Kate was scare at what it may lead her to do.

After a brief few seconds of, almost comfortable, silence, Kate breaks it by saying. "You said you 'would have' kept it secret...so you won't now?"

Gibbs observes Kate's face, searching for emotion, but clearly she'd gotten control back and she now wore a statue like expression - unreadable. Sighing and glancing down at the photos of Ari and Kate, he measures the situation. Deciding it too cruel to force her to tell the team and Director (and in doing so all of NCIS) about the events, he reluctantly says, "I won't tell anyone." Kate's muscles visibly relaxes at this. "But you have to tell me if he makes contact again; I only want you to be safe, I'm not gonna judge you."

Kate simply nods, waves of gratitude and relief flow over her aching muscles. She can't express in words this, but hopes her half smile is enough. Gibbs returns it before flicking the elevator switch to allow it to continue moving. He folds the photos twice so no one will see the images, and puts them in his jacket pocked.

"What are you going to do with-" Kate begins, but Gibbs reads her mind, "I'll go down to evidence lockup, use the shredder down there so no one sees.

Looking down at her hands, Kate realises she's still holding the note from Ari. Hesitating, she wonders if she could keep the note, but decides to give it up and holds it in front of Gibbs, "Better shred this too."

Just as the doors slide open, Gibbs places the small square of paper in his jacket pocket. he'd know Kate still held the note, but he wanted to test whether or not she'd give it up to be destroyed. Extremely grateful she'd passed his test, he watches as she steps out of the elevator, heading for the stairs to return to the bullpen. Gibbs reaches the elevator buttons and presses one to take him to the evidence lockup.

**A/N: Don't forget to tell me what you think!**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Alright here's another, sorry for the delay I had a social life for a short amount of time but now it's the holidays so I won't have one anymore, enjoy! (I still don't own anything NCIS)**

**Chapter 17**

1 Week later

Kate had been assigned paperwork, ensuring she remained at her desk and couldn't participate in any field work.

Seeing Tony, McGee and Gibbs leave to go out investigating, being told each time to remain there, was driving her crazy. She wasn't used to sitting behind a desk, letting others do the legwork. Not only this, but she never realised how stressful it was o be left behind whilst your friends and co-workers put themselves in the line of fire. The only upside to being forced to lay low, regain strength and energy, was that she could spend more time with Abby.

After the rescue from the cabin, Kate had felt awkward around people and didn't appreciate Abby's 'touchy feely' nature. But she was getting used to it again. Even enjoying the close bonds a hug can bring as herself and Abby become closer friends. Of course, this was pushed forward by the shared boredom they felt when left behind at NCIS.

"Morning Abby." Kate walks calmly into the forensic lab that Abby resides in. Smiling to herself, Kate leans over a file cabinet to turn down the loud rock music that left her greeting inaudible to the scientist. Abby jumps at the sudden environment change, swivelling around in her chair to see who'd disrupted the realm of Shuto.

"KATE!" Jumping up, Abby jogs over to find her friend (she would have run but the platform boots she wore prohibited her from doing so).

"Morning Abby." Kate repeats as the Goth embraces her in a tight hug.

"What are you doing her so early? It's only just gone 7!" Abby questions, still holding Kate.

"I'll tell you if you give me my arms back." Kate jokes.  
Abby says, "Right, Sorry." And steps away, she acknowledges how Kate's joking tone makes it seem like the events of the last couple of months never happened. However, looking up to her face she sees the slight bruise that still remains from Ari's attack last week.

Instinctively lowering her eyes, as if intruding on some private scene, Abby turns to her computer screen to hide her own sad expression. Kate had been through so much, and Abby didn't have a clue how to help or comfort someone who's experienced what she had. Hugs were her best bet, so she'd hugged Kate as much as possible lately- showing that if Kate wanted to talk, or have a shoulder to cry on, Abby Shuto would always be there.

Kate tilts her head to one side, observing the suddenly secretive scientist before answering her question.

"The guys got called out to a warehouse somewhere downtown – dead marine. I was coming out of the gym as Tony was walking down to the truck."  
"You didn't go with them?" Abby asks, still keeping her face glued to the screen.

Kate walks around to be next to her before saying, "Not, told to stay here, run checks or something. They still don't think I'm capable of being back in the field." Kate glances up to see Abby's profile. She was acting odd – well odder than normal.

"Abby, what's wrong?" I didn't mean to offend you about the hug a second ago, I was only kidding-"  
"no, not it…it wasn't that it's just…" Abby contemplates the appropriate working.

Kate watches silently, knowing to give her time to think, mainly so she won't say something she may regret later.

"I….I keep thinking of how….how you should be different now….how you ARE different. But … then you make a joke like a second ago and it's like nothing ever happened. I just…. I want you to talk or….or laugh at something stupid Tony's done…or…."

Kate lets out a short laugh and says, "Yeah, I do miss talking about DInozzo behind his back." But realising Abby wants a serious response she says, "I know you're here for me Abby, it's what I love about having you as a friend." Before either of them can sayu another word, Kate's phone starts ringin. She flips it open, "Todd…..oh hi Tony….background check on him?...I could go talk to the girlfriend, she's closer to me than you…..right stay here….I know 'someone has to do the checks' but why does it always have to be me?!... Fine, see you later….. whatever you say." Snapping the phone shut she turns to her friend, who's wearing a sympathetic expression.

"Bad luck, Kate, maybe next time Gibbs'll let you out of here."  
"yeah," Kate's already heading for the elevator, as the doors slide shut she murmurs, "that's what I keep hearing."

Gibbs is nervous. When they'd arrived at the crime scene, something had seemed….familiar. Looking down at the lifeless marine, he realise what it was: The deserted warehouse location, the early morning time of death, the execution style bullet in the head of the victim that instantly killed him, the lack of any bullet casing at the scene. Everything seemed too similar to the Navy Lieutenant's death a couple of months ago – when Kate was kidnapped. Ari had, most likely, been the killer then. The two crime scenes were too similar for it to be coincidental. And Gibbs doesn't believe in coincidences anyway.

"This crime scene look familiar to you, boss?" The younger special agent asks as he closes his phone. Gibbs looks up from his quiet contemplation of that very point to see Dinozzo tilting his head as he observes their surroundings. "I'm getting some creepy De-ja-vu or something, 'cos I swear I've been here before."

"You have, DInozzo." A confused expression envelops Tony's face so Gibbs explains, "This is the same setup as the warehouse crime scene Ari kidnapped Kate from."

Tony's eyes widen at his words, but he quickly regains his composure. "you think this was a trap?"

"If it were, d'ya thing we'd still be walking? No, for now let's treat it like any other crime scene, bag and tag the evidence." Gibbs whips out his phone, flipping it open and dialling Kate's number. As he walks back to where Ducky and the dead marine are, he asks Kate to check speed cameras from the area at around the time of death.

"If this was Ari Haswari's work, I highly doubt he would be foolish enough to run a red light, Jethro." Ducky says, closing thee doors to the NCIS truck now containing the dead marine.

"I figured, Duck, but if I didn't tell her what to do she'd only end up calling me at a bad time." Gibbs answers, a little agitated at his friend's disbelieve in his abilities. As Gibbs begins to walk over to where McGee is collecting evidence, Ducky holds his forearm. "This is very unlike you. If Kate knew you were treating her with kid cloves, she'd be mad! And you know it, so why are you doing exactly that?" Ducky hasn't seen Gibbs act strangely like this since his last wife, but that was in his private life, not his professional one. Gibbs was always very particular about respecting those he works with, it creates a mutual respect that's vital in this line of work. SO why was he treating Kate differently, thinking about her future actions instead of her present ones. Did he see her as weal? Since she got punched by Ari right on the doorstep of NCIS, Gibbs had been tiptoeing around her.

Ducky knew from shuttle-butt gossip that Kate and Gibbs had had a 'conference room' meeting that lasted a long time, and when Kate returned, it was 15 minutes before Gibbs had followed. What exactly had they talked about? Whatever it was, it was important enough for Gibbs to completely change his attitude toward her.

Gibbs pulls his arm out of Ducky's grip, not violently, but forceful enough to show he's not willing to let the phycologist doctor discover what he's really thinking. He knows what it's like to be stuck at base, watching your friends go into danger, not knowing what shape they'll return in. He also knows the best solution was distraction, giving Kate something to do (however pointless it may be) is better for her.

"McGee, when you're finished collecting evidence here, go to the local businesses in this block – ask around if anyone saw something last night. Take their CCTV footage too." Gibbs barks these orders before heading toward his car. He has a phone call to make to a certain FBI Agent who owes him a favour.

**A/N: Ok, so not a lot actually happened, but I wanted to broaden the perspectives we see the events from (hence Abby and Ducky POVs) Well, tell me what you think and don't forget to follow!**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Alright, this is a chapter to help move the story along a bit, so less emotional stuff but important for the plot. Hope you enjoy! I don't own NCIS.**

**Chapter 18:**

Agent Fornell wasn't much help. Gibbs had hoped he may be able to find information on Ari Haswari's movements which may have been kept from NCIS. This inquiry came up with nothing, it seems like Ari had become a ghost. _He will wish he were a ghost when I find him. Nobody can stay hidden for long, sooner or later he'll screw up, and I'm gonna make sure it's sooner._

Gibbs walks into the bullpen where his team are watching CCTV footage on the TV screen.

"Boss, think we've found something." Dinozzo says, first to notice their silent leader had walked up behind them. "Show 'm McGee!"  
Tim clicks the TV remote and a video fills the screen. "CCTV we collected from outside a night club on the opposite side of the street to the warehouse. This was filmed at around 2 am last night."

"Same time our Petty Officer was killed." Gibbs states, eyeing up the moving images on the screen. Every now and then as cars drives by, but the area is quiet. After a few moments, a figure appears in the far corner of the screen, only for a second as they walk out of shot.

"Can you get closer, see who it was?" Gibbs asks, although already expecting one answer.

"Yeah, we were just about to when you came in." McGee returns to his desk, typing instructions to enhance the footage. Zooming in to the figure, they can tell it's male, however the shadows make it impossible to see any distinct features. McGee continues working on the image quality. Adding different layers so the darker areas become brighter and more distinguished. As each layer is applied, the image becomes clearer, no facial recognition software is necessary, none of the team were going to forget that face. Ari Haswari had killed again. The question is, why?

Kate had tried to keep a composed face at the sight of Ari on the screen. She felt a lurch in the pit of her stomach. Whether it was from shock, fear or love, Kate stamped it out as the rest of the team began talking about his motives and involvement. Luckily, they'd all been preoccupied with barking out ideas and she'd managed to slip away to the bathroom.

Now, looking at her reflection, she too begins to wonder what Ari's motives were for killing a completely extraordinary marine. Was it to get her attention? To get another chance at abducting her? Maybe to see her again, to apologise?

_God, if he has to murder someone to apologise to me, something is seriously wrong with his brain. Why can't you just accept the fact that he's the spawn of the devil? _Kate mentally asks herself, staring into her own reflected jet black eyes. _Accept that he was just manipulating you, feeding off your initial naïve believe to how dangerous he was. He doesn't care about you, you've got the black and blue cheek to prove it. _Closing her eyes, she takes a few moments to breath steadily before saying aloud. "That bastard's going to wish he's stayed away. This time, he's not getting away Scott free." _No matter what I feel about him._ Kate finishes her own sentence in her head before returning to the bullpen. _My team comes first, if they want to catch a killer, I'll join them- it's my duty isn't it?_

Meanwhile, CCTV from all the properties on the block where the warehouse murder took place were meticulously checked by Abby and McGee. It seemed that it Ari had been caught on camera again, he was far enough in the shadows for them to be unable to see him.

"Sorry, Gibbs, but we can't find him, we don't even know where to start looking!" A deflated Abby informs her mentor. She looks at her platform leather boots, not wanting to see the trace of disappointment on his face that must surely be there.

"Abs, I didn't expect he'd be stupid enough to be caught on any other camera. He's a pro, I didn't expect him to be on one at all." This lightens the heavy weight on Abby's heart at not being able to find Ari. Her friend had been hurt so much at his hand, some she didn't even speak about. Abby wanted to give her justice by finding Ari but, on one of a rare few occasions, she had failed her job, failed Gibbs, failed Kate.

"Just print out the best quality photo, most recent photo, of Ari." Gibbs states, turning to leave the lab.

"Err…Why Gibbs?"

"Computers aren't the only way to find someone." Gibbs shouts as he enters the elevator. Flipping out his phone, he dials Tony's cell. When it picks up a hesitant "Boss?" is heard but Gibbs ignores it. "Go down to Abby's lab and collect some copies of Ari's photo. Take them to any café, shop or public place in the area where the latest CCTV was found. Ask around if anyone's seen him." Without waiting for an answer, he slams the phone closed.

McGee and Tony left Kate and Gibbs completing file reports on evidence collected at the crime scene.

They'd been to 4 corner shops, 2 bars, 2 clubs and 3 cafes. So far, no one had seen, or no one was claiming to have seen, Ari in the area. The café they were walking into seemed like an unlikely place a murder who's in hiding would go- large open windows, wooden chairs and tables and a large counter top with an assortment of French cakes and pastries.

Tony takes the lead, walking up to the counter. "Hi there, I'm Special Agent Dinozzo of NCIS." He flashes out his ID and badge as proof. "Could you tell us if you've seen this man." Next he pulls out a photo of Ari that Abby gave him. Showing it to the spotty college guy, he watches for a reaction. The guy squints at the photo through his thick rimmed glasses for a few seconds, tilting his head to one side as if this will help.

"So do ya know him or not?" An impatient Tony asks gruffly.

"Yeah…yeah I think I've seen him here a couple of times." The coffee guy leans back to stand normally again.

A surprised McGee is first to say something, his voice going up an octave in the light of this new information. "Really?"

Tony glares around at the young probie who sounded so unprofessional. Choosing to show McGee how he should compose himself in public, Tony says in a cool voice, "Can you tell us any information about him?"

"Well he had an English accent, that's why I remembered him. He met some guy, bald, muscly…you know, rough looking."  
"Sure, sure." An unfussed Dinozzo answers, leaning casually against the glass countertop. "Do you remember when this was?"

"Err, a few days? I can get you the CCTV forage it that'll help." The young man says, eager to please the cool federal agents.

"That would, yes." McGee answers, stepping around the show off Tony to talk more discreetly. "Do you remember if he paid with cash or credit card?"

"Our card machine's been broken the last few days so he must've paid cash."

McGee takes down these notes in a notepad, scribbling in his awful handwriting that's unreadable to all but himself.

Once the CCTV footage was collected, and Tony's stopped pretending to be a cool movie star to impress a group of women who entered the café, the pair head back to NCIS.

Half an hour later, Abby had processed the coffee shop video footage and pinpointed the parts where Ari appeared. Just as she finishes, Gibbs (followed by Kate and the others) walks in, Café Pow in hand. "What do ya got, Abbs?"

"Well, yesterday was so nice, I went out to walk around the park, but I'm pretty sure I got a bite from something. Don't worry though, I'm keeping an eye on it in case it gets worse, and I find out whatever bit me was poisonous. Like a Black Widow – although, they're not common in America. In the UK there's this spider called a False Widow that bites you, loads of people there are freaking out but-"

"Abby, what do you have on the CASE!" Gibbs interrupts, holding up the cool Café Pow.

"I just thought you'd be interested, but alright." Snatching the drink from her boss' hand, she turns back to the computer screens.

"Here is Mr Haswari entering the coffee shop 2 days ago." She fasts forward to when someone joins him at the table. When the image stops moving, the team can see the face of the other man. Kate involuntarily lets out a gasp.

"What is it? Do you know who he is?" Gibbs asks, turning to face her. She pulls her eyes away from the screen for a moment to reply, " He was the leader of the group of men who I saw when I was in the cabin, he's the one who punched me a couple of times." She finished, returning to stare at the LCD screens.

"You certain?" Tony asks, a trace of doubt in his voice.

"Yes, Dinozzo, I think I'd remember one of only 6 people I'd seen during a whole month stuck in a stinking room! Especially one that hurt me!"

It was the first time Kate had spoken more than just blunt facts from her stay in the cabin, in front of Tony, McGee and even Abby. Her anger and hurt at seeing the bald man's face again was visible as she lashed out at Tony, when really she wanted to lash out at HIM.

Gibbs turned away, he hated seeing Kate upset and distressed, he wasn't used to it and hoped he wouldn't have to get used to it at all.

"Have you run-"  
"Facial recognition is running as we speak." This time Abby's the one to interrupt, grinning with satisfaction at correctly anticipating Gibbs' thoughts.

"Alright, call me when you get a hit." Gibbs turns to leave when Abby says.  
"That's not all I have, Gibbs!" The older agent turns slowly, a half smile on his face.

"Alright, what else ya got Abbs?"

Abby tilts her head from side to side with a small, satisfied, smile across her blood red lips and replies, "Watch this."

Turning back to the screen she clicks a few buttons and the meeting in the coffee shop continues to play. The rest of the team step closer to spot something that's presumably important.

Ari gets up to leave first, followed 20 or so seconds later by the bald man. The man steps out of the shop, turning left as an opposite to Ari's right turn down the street. Cars drive by but the pair aren't seen again.

"Err…I didn't see anything." Tony begins but doesn't get to continue as Gibbs plants a light head slap on the young agent.

"Pay attention, Dinozzo."

"Thought I was…" looking at Gibbs' annoyed expression, and not wanting to get slapped again, he hastily adds, "…but clearly I missed something."

Gibbs turns his attention back to the forensic scientist who answers his own questioning look. "I'll show you." The CCTV is rewound to just as the bald man leaves. "OK, now watch the far side of the screen, as he walks out of shot."  
Gibbs squints to see the image better. Just as the man's side disappears from view out the window, the camera records him pulling out keys from his pocket.

"Car keys? He was going to drive away?" Kate speaks out again, distracted from her emotions as the investigator side of her kicks in.

"Exactly. So I stopped the video every time a face was visible in the cars driving past and, low and behold, he's here…" Abby stops the tape as a grey land-rover's passing. The windows are tinted, but not very well as the bald headed man is easily distinguishable in the driving seat.

"McGee, get a B.O.L.O out on that car." Gibbs orders, but before he can say any thanks or goodbyes to Abby, she speedily says, "I have more, look here."

Zooming into the back seat window, the poorly tinted windows are no match for Abby's photo editing software. The image of the contents of the backseat clears and a florescent jacket can be seen crumpled up on the seat. Luckily for them, the company name is almost completely visible. "Cannon Constructions. They are a small construction company in south D.C." Expecting Gibb's next question, Abby adds "Names and addresses." Whilst holding out a post-it with the information on.

Gibbs takes it from her hand and leans in to hiss her on the cheek. "Nice work, Abbs." He turns and walks out the lab, followed by McGee, Dinozzo and then Kate.

**A/N: Seriously, everyone was scared of False Widow spiders for ages here in the UK….. bit pathetic really, not like it's gonna kill you but oh well, that's the English for you! **

**This has been the longest chapter yet so sorry if you like short ones but didn't think there was a discernable point that I could leave the story that was interesting enough for y'all to come back!**

**Don't forget to follow and tell me how I'm doing :D**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Yeah I still don't own NCIS….every day I wish I did because apparently it's like a billion dollar franchise…who knew!**

**Chapter 19:**

Kate was, to put it lightly, unimpressed with being ordered to stay at NCIS whilst the boys went to Cannon Constructions to bring the bald man in for questioning. She knows that Gibbs only wants to keep her safe, but wrapping her up in a bubble-wrap straight jacket is making the whole situation worse. She's a federal agent; trained in profiling criminals, murderers and psychopaths, and has martial arts skills that would make most men weak at the knees. And yet she's stuck in a scratchy, tight skirt, sitting at a desk where the most action she gets is receiving an email from a college welcoming her back.

Kate closes her eyes and huffs out a breath, feeling her frustration mounding in her chest.

Sensing she's not alone, she opens her eyes to see a grinning Dinozzo less than 30 centimetres away from her face. Kate rolls her eyes and tilts her head to one side. Her frustration increasing at the dumb grin on the other man's face.

Tony leans forward teasingly, he takes a second to enjoy Kate's soft, warm breath on his cheek. Inhaling through his nose, he can smell the faint strawberry Chapstick on Kate's lips. Caught up in the moment, he forgets to make a crude comment like "Sleeping on the job?".

Kate, not realising the intimate moment that is clearly one sided, holds her ground and says harshly "Your breath stinks of coffee, never heard of a breath mint, Tony?"

Taken aback (and slightly tongue tied) he gives in and returns to his desk.

After partly venting some of her frustration, Kate suddenly realises that if Tony's back, then the bald man should be in custody. She stands and scans the bullpen for a stony faced Gibbs and hairless man in handcuffs, but comes up empty.

"Did you get him?"

Tony looks up from a form he didn't need to fill in. "McGee took him up to interrogation."

Before Tony had finished speaking, Kate had leaps around her desk, heading for the stairs.

Gibbs had stopped walking into the bullpen when he'd seen Tony and Kate inches away from each other. A mixture of jealousy and white hot anger coursed through him in that second they were so close. In a moment, this had subsided to turn into guilt. Why was he so jealous of Dinozzo for being able to get so close to Kate. If only he could do the same and Kate brush it off as if it were normal, natural even.

But before Gibbs could think anymore he heard Kate's voice as it travelled to his hiding place by the stairs. "Your breath stinks of coffee, never heard of a breath mint, Tony?"

Gibbs steals himself a look over the staircase to see, to his relief, Kate leaning back and Tony returning to his own desk. Realising he didn't want to be found there, eavesdropping, he heads toward the elevator to get to interrogation. As he enters the empty steel box, he raises his hand to his mouth, testing his breath to see if it smelled of coffee. _I'll get a breath mint once I'm done interrogating. _Gibbs thinks to himself as the doors slide open.

Gibbs enters the grey walled interrogation room. The bald man is sitting facing the mirrored glass. As Gibbs calmly sits down in front of him, Kate reaches the observing room where she is able to look through the glass, whilst the interrogation room occupants only see their own reflections.

Her stomach squirms at the sight of one of her captors. The only one who attacked her – punched her in the face….twice. Her mind begins to flash back to those times but Kate forces her brain to remain in the present.

Gibbs stands and opens the folder he was carrying; carefully spreading photo evidence of the man's meeting with Ari in front to him.

"We have video footage of you meeting an accused terrorist." Gibbs states calmly, as if her were describing the pleasant weather to a close friend. "We have a witness who places you at the scene of a kidnapping of a federal agent."

Kate absent-mindedly raises her arms to cross in front of her chest. If anyone were to profile her at that moment, they'd say she was nervous, afraid and self-conscious. But Kate doesn't notice her own actions as all her attention is on the bald man who's slowly, and to Gibbs' satisfaction, turning grey in light of the stacking evidence against him.

"And, I'll bet your fingerprints will match those from the wood cabin Agent Todd was held captive in for a month." Gibbs pauses, allowing all this to sink into the thick sculled thug in front of him. "So, Stringer, what do you know about Ari Haswari?" The bald man, who's work ID identified him as Marcus Stringer, shuffles his hands in his lap, tapping his foot on the floor as he races to come up with some way out of this.

That bastard Haswari had told him he'd be untraceable. That, as his fingerprints weren't on record and they didn't know exactly what he looked like, that he'd be off scott free – and 50,000$ richer. Hatred toward the arrogant jerk who'd deliberately misled him, Stringer decides that if he's going down, Haswari's coming with him.

"What's in it for me?" Stringer doesn't move, but struggles to keep eye contact with the icy glare of the federal agent in front of him.

Out of nowhere Gibbs leaps out of his chair, lunging forward to slam his hands on the metal table, a sound like a gunshot reverberates momentarily around the walls. It's taking all of Gibbs' self-control not to pummel Stringer's face in like he did to Kate. He dared to lay a finger, a fist, on her soft skin and Gibbs was going to make sure the guy spent a long time thinking over his actions as he rots in a prison cell.

"You'll tell me now, or I'll make sure you get a shared cell at Gitmo." Gibbs grunts out these words, a steely threatening tone that barely reaches the man's ears as he attempts to lean as far back away from the dangerously close agent.

"You…you couldn't do that!" Stringer manages to muster, cowering as the lion rises taller and spits out. "I've got you fraternising with a terrorist, kidnapping and possibly murdering a Navy Lieutenant and Petty Officer!"

"No, I didn't kill anyone!"  
"Then tell me where I can find the guy who did." Gibbs shoves the café CCTV photo forward and roughly points to Ari.

Stringer looked from Ari - the guy he didn't give a damn about, to Gibbs - the guy who could send him to a place where he'd be sharing a bunk with terrorists or serial killers. In a blink of the eye he makes the easy decision. "Abandoned Theatre on Maystone Street, South D.C, he lives there ….or at least that's the only place he's ever mentioned me being able to find him at."

Gibbs eyes Stringer, judging that he's telling the truth, he sweeps the photos off the table and leaves the interrogation room, ignoring the thug's call for answers.

Gibbs quickly updates the director on the situation, organising a tactical assault on the abandoned Theatre Ari's staying in.

As the teams get ready, he heads back to the bullpen to update his own.

As he hears his boss (okay SEEs him because the guy's like a NINJA) coming down the stairs, Tony leaps out of his desk chair. "What are we gonna do boss?" Dinozzo asks, failing to hide his excitement at the possibility of catching Ari once and for all.

Gibbs ignores him and continues round to his desk. Reaching down to the locked drawer he pulls out his gun and straps it to his belt. Out of the corner of his eye he can see Kate watching him, patiently waiting for him to answer Tony's question. He draws himself up to his full height and says, "We're going to launch an assault on the Theatre."

A grin instantly sweeps across Dinozzo's face. McGee's more reluctant, although no less enthused at the idea of arresting Ari. Both turn to, similarly, collect their guns. Only Kate remains still, her expression unchanging. "Are you going to arrest him?" She asks, her voice effortlessly hides emotion.

Gibbs steps closer to her, speaking low so the other agents, in their rushed movements, can't hear. "Going to try. Bring him in for questioning so he can rot in jail somewhere unpleasant."

A slight furrow appears on Kate's brow, but in a second it's gone and Gibbs is left wondering if it were a trick of the light.

Kate looks into Gibbs' eyes, his icy blue stare impossible to profile or analyse whether he's telling the truth or hiding something.

Knowing she won't find out either way, she too heads to her desk to retrieve her gun.

"What do you think you're doing?" Gibbs asks, a hint of a threat slipping through his teeth. The female agent doesn't look up but continues to pick up her gear.

"Grabbing my gear-" hearing the silence that's descended on the bullpen, she raises her head. Gibbs has his arms folded, leaning forward slightly in a blatant intimidation stance. Kate drops her head back to packing. Picking up her bag, she says "I'm coming with you." It's not a question.

"You haven't been cleared for fieldwork yet."  
"And when has paperwork ever stopped you before, Gibbs?" Kate snaps back.

"I don't want to be watching your back more than the others' because you're not stable enough-"

"Stable! I'm not some radioactive chemical that could blow up at any moment! I can handle myself fine, Gibbs."  
The two agents throw fierce glares at each other, each as determined not to give in first.

Gibbs, however doesn't have the strong incentive Kate has to win this debate. She needs closure. And to get it, she wants to see the man, who's lied to her, put in some steel metal handcuffs himself.

Knowing it's a losing battle, and knowing when to accept defeat, Gibbs grunt and heads for the elevator. Closely followed by a bemused Dinozzo and McGee and a satisfied Special Agent Todd.

**A/N: Little bit of foreshadowing in this scene, although you probably won't get it until AFTER reading the next few chapters where it starts getting REALLY intense! Well, don't forget to follow and fav this so you don't miss a beat! Reviews are always welcome, as are PM's if you prefer :D**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Awww it's all heating up! I don't own anything to do with NCIS…. :'(**

**Chapter 20:**

The team arrive at a deserted car park a clock away from their intended target location. Other teams have been set up at different places to surround the clock.

The team check their weapons, their earwig communications with each other and MTEC. Their voices ringing in their own ears as the microphones relay the sounds to their earpieces.

Having already devised a plan of attack en-route to their location, there was little talking necessary. A quiet anticipation looks over the team as they await the signal to advance.

Suddenly, the silence is broken by Gibbs' phone ringing. Looking down at the caller ID, he sees it's unavailable. Flicking it open he holds the plastic to his ear.

"Hello Gibbs, long time no see." A cool, calm British voice trails from the receiver.

"Haswari." Gibbs state, his voice flat and emotionless. He presses a button and the phone is put on speaker. McGee, Tony and Kate, shuffle closer to the device.

"I hear my good friend Stringer has given up my location. I expected you to find me sooner than this Gibbs, clearly you're losing your touch." The smug expression Ari wears can be heard in every word he says. "If you've all come to see a midnight showing of James Bond, I'm afraid this theatre remained traditional until the end, there isn't a film in sight." He pauses, relishing the silence on the other line that signifies he has the advantage. "Have you heard of St Martins? It's a boarding school for troubled youths in North D.C. I say 'troubled'; these rich kids seem to love their drugs. No matter, if you don't come to my theatre, alone, I'll put them all out of their misery."

Kate's blood runs cold at the death threat he's making toward children. She knew he is twisted but she didn't realise how EVIL he was.

"A bomb?" Gibbs asks, matter-of-factly.

"Why yes, they are my specialty as you well know."  
Images of the exploding dock warehouse flash across Kate's vision.

"You, Gibbs. Here. Alone. You have… 2 minutes." The line goes dead.

"Boss, you can't really go in there alone-" Tony starts, his instincts to protect him leaking out in quickly spoken words.

"I can, and I am." Gibbs climbs out the back of the NCIS truck, closely followed by Kate and Dinozzo. McGee hangs back by the computer surveillance equipment in the back of the truck.

"But Boss-"

"Dinozzo, you stay here with McGee and Kate." Gibbs orders, leaving no space for questions or complaints. Lifting his hand to his ear, Gibbs activates the coms. "All units stand down, do not approach the target."

With that he walks off down the dark street. The street lamps flicker, creating flashing shadows that inspire images of a hidden foe ready to jump out and kill whoever gets too close.

Steadying his breath, Gibbs forces himself to remain facing forward, even though his heart's willing him to turn around and get one last look at Kate's face.

Kate's torn. Does she obey her boss and stay? Or does she run to his side, to protect him from her former lover. No. Ari wasn't her lover he was… a mistake.

Kate strains her eyes to see Gibbs as his distance from her increases and the light makes only his silver hair visible.

Before Kate has a chance to comprehend the questions whirring through her head, Gibbs goes out of sight – entering the theatre where Ari awaits.

Gibbs' earwig is still on, and Tony and Kate listen into the audio that is their only link to their boss as he enters the lion's den.

"Why hello Gibbs, long time…no see." An echoing voice reaches Gibbs' ears as he enters the darkly lit auditorium.

"yeah, well I can't see you, otherwise I would have returned the comment." Gibbs voice rings out as his footsteps thump in the suffocating darkness and silence.

"Come, come now, let's not argue so soon. We've barely had a chance to re-acquaint. How is my dear Caitlin doing?"

Back at the NCIS truck, Tony visibly tenses at Ari's mention of Kate. _How dare he have the nerve to ask how she is, when he's been the one causing her pain! _

Kate merely focuses on the computer screens showing the theatre blueprints. Taking in all the entrances and exits, stairs and floors, as she tries to blot out the clawing hand on her chest at Ari's voice.

"She's fine." Gibbs spits out, wanting to end this part of the conversation as soon as possible. Knowing it will hurt Kate to keep hearing the bastard speak about her.

A tutting noise reverberates around the room. "I am sure you realise that I do care about her well-being, Gibbs?" Ari asks in a questioning tone.

Gibbs can sense a mocking voice underlying each word. "So punching someone in the face is how you show you care?" He can feel his heart rate rising as Ari continues to speak.

"mmm…no. I show how I care for someone in more….shall we say, intimate ways?"  
Gibbs clenches his fists. Ari was taunting him. He must know (somehow) that Kate told him that Ari and her had slept together. Ari was trying to enrage him so he would be foolish, make rash, stupid, mistakes. And Gibbs knew he was succeeding, but still he argued back.  
"She doesn't want you, Haswari, and you're not going to get a chance to take her away and trick her into.." Gibbs stops himself, on the verge of shouting that secret he'd promised Kate he'd keep.

Kate's knuckles were turning white as she gripped McGee's chair. She knew what was coming before it was said.

"I never 'tricked' her into making love with me." Ari pauses, allowing time for the words to sink in to the listening NCIS agents, and Caitlin too. Gibbs tries to maintain his white-hot anger as his enemy is nowhere in sight (and so not a target for the bullet that's itching to go into Ari's head).

Tony and McGee don't say anything, as Ari continues to speak, they both turn to face Kate. Her brow furrows as her hands slide off McGee's chair. Falling limp to her side.

"We made love, Gibbs. It was beautiful. When we woke the next morning, she pleaded with me not to leave the bed. She was so pure, beautiful. More so than is imaginable." Ari closes his eyes. Being able to visualise Kate's naked body had sustained him the last few weeks.

"You bastard! You son of a bitch! WHERE ARE YOU! SHOW YOURSELF, COWARD!"

As Gibbs shouts, Kate steps back from McGee's chair. The 2 agents are looking at her with a mixture of pity, disbelief and worry. She felt weak, worthless. Now all she'd worked for, working her way up the ranks, proving she wasn't some feebly girl, had all been for nothing. Now the whole of NCIS knew she was weak. And Ari…. She'd trusted him not to say anything. But yet again, she was wrong about the man she'd thought she'd once loved.

Taking another step away from Tony and McGee and another, she gives up and jumps out of the truck. This breaks Tony out of his stupor and he shouts "KATE! COME BACK! WHERE ARE YOU GOING!?" But she'd already disappeared into the darkness, her black clothes and hair effortlessly camouflaging her into the black streets.

The cool night air blows away the heavy confusion, frustration and fear that had blotted her mind. She has nothing else to lose. She breathes for a few seconds, still able to hear Gibbs' shouts in her earwig. But she barely notices. Her mind focuses. _Everything I've cared about is over. _She swings the side theatre door open, the theatre floor plan is etched onto the back of her eyes and it leads her in. _Everyone I work with: McGee, Abby, Tony… they'll hate me or pity me. Either is bad enough._ She looks around the dark corridors, following Gibbs' voice as it bounces off the walls. Climbing scaffolding type stairs, she finds herself one floor above the theatre. She climbs out onto the stage scaffolding – where all the lights are. Looking down she sees the barking Gibbs, "COME OUT AND FIGHT!"

For the first time, Kate hears Ari's voice near her. "I would love too, however, I brought you here for one reason and one reason only." Kate narrows down where the source of the smooth talking voice is coming from. Squinting in the poor lighting for the second time that night, she makes out a figure on the scaffolding. His head is bent low, his eye connecting with a viewfinder. The viewfinder connecting with a sniper gun.

"And what was that!" Gibbs roars, anger coursing through his veins.

"To eliminate my greatest threat. You. Goodbye, Agent Gibbs."

Gibbs draws his gun, but before it is fully out of the holster, 2 shots split the air. Their sound smashing in echoes around the room and the ears of every NCIS agent on the scene.

Where there's bullets, there's a dead body.

**A/N: I know some of you are going to hate the discussion of Kate and Ari's 'thing' here but this is how I would react if I were her and everyone is different, please don't hate me! **

**The next chapter will be up soon I promise! **


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: No message, just get on with the chapter. I own nothing to do with NCIS.**

**Chapter 21:**

In the theatre, the sound of gunshots die down. McGee and Tony shout through the earpieces for gibbs to answer. "BOSS! Boss, what's going on! We heard shots! Talk to me Gibbs!"

"I'm Ok, Dinozzo." Gibbs whispers, causing relief to flood through the NCIS agents. Gibbs stands slowly from where he'd dived for cover at the sound of the shots. He barely acknowledges the splinter he'd got in his finger from the wooden crate he'd crouched behind. _Better than a bullet._

Slowly looking around the dark room, he speaks into his earpiece. "Move in."

At this command, the NCIS agents move forward to clear the theatre.

"ARI!" Gibbs shouts, his words echoing ominously off the walls. No response comes. _Why would he fire two shots, missing me even though I was an easy target, then run off?_

"Dinozzo, was I alone in this theatre? No one else came in after me?" Gibbs asks, suddenly feeling something's not right in his gut.

"Not that I saw, boss. Although it was pretty hard to see anything with the crap street lighting." Tony's voice replies through the earwig. He hadn't seen anyone, but that doesn't mean they weren't there.

"No agents followed me in? Not you or McGee…or Kate?" Gibbs asks, with the realisation that he hadn't heard Kate's voice over the comms.

"Err…" Tony's voice trails off.

"DINOZZO!" Gibbs shouts into the mic.

"She ran off once Ari said about….their err…relationship. She didn't listen when I told her to come back-"  
"Where did she go Dinozzo?!" Gibbs' heart rate was increasing again.

"I, I don't know! She ran into the dark, I couldn't see her!"

"McGee, trace her phone!"

"On it, boss." A nervous McGee replies. Returning to the NCIS truck he rapidly types into the computers. "Says she's in the theatre, with you…..but no one's gone in yet!"

Gibbs and Tony's blood runs cold. Kate was inside. Shots were fired. And she hadn't said anything.

"KATE!" Gibbs roars, running aimlessly around the stage. "KATE! ANSWER ME!"

Alternative POV

Kate can see Ari, bent over the viewfinder of the sniper gun that's pointed at Gibbs. Responding to Gibbs' questioning at why Ari brought him there, he replies, "To eliminate my greatest threat, you. Goodbye, Agent Gibbs."

People say that before you die, time slows down. Each second lengthens and you are forced to live your last breath in painfully slowed time, seeing the angel of death getting nearer.

However, this angel was different. Beautiful, young, yet still all dressed in black. Appearing out of the shadows, out of nowhere. She raises her arms slowly, or at lighting speed in time with the living. Her hazel eyes lock onto that of the man who has taken his last breath. Never before had Ari truly contemplated the simplicity that was the ability to kill. To move a finger and take a life. The angel pauses, allowing the man to twist around in shock. And also allowing an easy target in the darkness.

Their eyes lock for the briefest of moments, the angel and the devil. Sorrow fills both as 2 bangs break the slowed motion. 2 bullets break the man's heart, if it had not have already broken at the sound.

Time is rumoured to slow down when you die. Drag out the pain and the agony. But no one ever talks about how time slows after death, for the living.

Kate lowers her gun and watches as Ari, still with the shocked, sorrowful expression, fall back onto the scaffolding floor. The sound masked by that of the echoing gun shots.

Kate didn't know if they were in her head or in realist. She didn't care. She didn't even notice herself holstering her gun.

Time ticked by, but she stood still, her eyes fixated on Ari's dead ones. She had once thought she could live for eternity if only she looked into his eyes. She was wrong. His eyes only held sadness, grey and lifeless; and she had caused it.

Sounds could be heard through her earwig. Gibbs and others at NCIS, but they, too, barely register.

Kate steps forward, holding the banister for support as her heart threatened to break with every step she got closer to him.

Knowing what she would find, but doing it anyway, she kneels down next to Ari's crumpled body. Forcing herself to look away from his face she checks for a pulse. He was indeed medically dead. Ari was gone. Kate felt her heart lighten and pain at the thought. _How? How can I feel polar opposites for him?!_

She closes her eyes and stands up to move away from the corpse. The visual senses blackout seems to strengthen those remaining and Kate realises the voices in her ear. She heard her own name mentioned. Then the whole theatre was filed with her name; shouted over and over again.

Opening her eyes, Kate stumbles to the edge of the scaffolding to look down at the source. Gibbs, He had been so close to death. She had seen Ari tense, about to pull the trigger. She couldn't lose Gibbs. She needed him. Until that moment, she hadn't realised how much.

"I'm here." A croaky voice replies to Gibbs' shouts. She reaches into her pocket, knowing Gibbs can't see her – or Ari, and brings out her mobile so the LED screen can guide Gibbs to her. "I'm here Gibbs."

**A/N: Alright so slightly shorter than my normal chapters so sorry about that. If you go back to some of my earlier chapters you will be able to see some of the 'foreshadowing' moments to the events in this/next chapters. ****I would love to hear what you thing, as always, so REVIEW! I went a little philosophical in this chapter but I love doing that type of fiction writing, it always makes me feel good for some reason. Oh well, anyway next chapter will be up soon I promise!**

**There will be more Tony in future chapters too, and KIBBS.**

**Claire :D**

******_(Yep that's my name and yep I made up a character in an earlier chapter with the same first name as me because I'm vain)_**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Still don't own NCIS**

**Chapter 22:**

"KATE! Are you hurt?!" Gibbs shouts as he rushes to find a staircase or ladder up to her level.

Kate returns her phone to her pocket and looks down at the lifeless body at her feet. His death, by her hands. "I'm fine, Gibbs." She replies, half whispering the words.

As she watches Ari, she's startled as the lights turn on around her. The other NCIS agents must have found the power-box. The light causes shadows to fall across Ari's body, his face now concealed in darkness.

Something catches Kate's eye. Paper slipping out of Ari's pocket. Crouching down, Kate reluctantly reaches to pull it out of the leather jacket. The photos Ari'd given her, what seemed like years ago, are again in her hands. Before, she'd responded in shock at their sight. Now…now she was just numb. _I wonder how many copies he made? _She thinks to herself, not really caring for the answer.

Hearing Gibbs' footsteps behind her, she hurriedly shoves them into her own jacket pocket. _He's seen them once, I don't want him to see them again._

Gibbs slows his pace as he can see Kate standing, unharmed; his initial panic ebbing away. As he gets closer, the full extent of the situation becomes clear. Ari's limp, lifeless form almost draws a smirk to Gibbs' face. However, Kate's blank expression as she stares at the body tightens Gibbs' heart.

Before he can say a word to her, Tony's voice screeches through the earwig, "Is she alright, Gibbs? GIBBS?"

"Yeah, fine. Ari isn't so lucky."  
"What…what do you mean?" Dinozzo's panting breath indicates he's probably running to find them.

"He's dead."

As if voicing Ari's state flips a switch in Kate, she whips her head around to stare at Gibbs in horror. Then, out of nowhere, she jogs around Ari's body and heads for the opposite staircase.

"Kate!" Gibbs shouts, already starting after her. He stops himself, however. _She probably needs some time. Even if I want to be with her right now…_

Shaking his head at the complexity of the events, he returns the few steps to the body, just as Tony and McGee find him.

"Where's Kate, boss?" McGee asks.

"She's gone out, get some space." Gibbs' tone makes it clear this isn't to be questioned.

"Is it true, what Ari'd said about…about him and Kate?" Tony asks, after a few seconds of silence; needing to know the truth.

Gibbs stops checking out the crime scene to turn to look at the waiting agents, studying Tony's deadly serious expression.

"Yes. She told me a few weeks ago."

"A few WEEKS! Why didn't she tell me, us," Tony gestures at McGee who remains silent, staring unseeing at the floor.

"She didn't want anyone to know, to judge her." Gibbs replies, sensing the other agent's growing anger.

"If I'd known I could have helped. If you'd told me, I-"  
"it wasn't my place to tell you." Gibbs interrupts, "Kate would have, when she was ready."

"Wasn't your place!? You are our BOSS, when someone on your team's in trouble, you help them and keep EVERYONE in the look for just this sort of situation. A situation where understanding someone's emotions could save your, or their, life. What if Ari'd shot her because she came looking for him? What if this were Kate's body? What then, Gibbs? Would you regret not telling me the situation so I would know how to handle Kate!" He pauses for breath and Gibbs buts in.

"Handle Kate? She's not some child who needs constant monitoring!"

"Oh yeah, well you got pretty pissed at me when she ran off and I wasn't able to do just that! You had the chance to protect her from this." Tony points down at Ari with a disgusted look on his face.

"By 'this' do you mean Kate killing him, or Kate sleeping with him after he kidnapped her? What is it that you're really mad about, Dinozzo?" Gibbs takes a step closer to Tony, forcing himself into the agent's personal space. The two men shoot daggers with their eyes at each other.

As Tony takes a breath to retort, McGee steps in, "This isn't helping Kate, present Kate, who's hurting. Maybe one of us should go check up on her, make sure she's okay and…"  
His confidence ebbs away, but it was enough to bring the 2 men to their senses.

"I'll go." Tony states, already walking toward where he assumes Kate left.

Gibbs lightly places a hand on Tony's shoulder. Not forceful, violent or authoritative, not usual Gibbs. In surprise, and frustration, Tony turns. "I'll go; you're right, I'm her boss, I should be helping her."

Knowing this is the closest Gibbs is ever likely to get to an apology, Tony steps to one side, allowing the senior agent to pass.

"Process the crime scene." He gruffly orders. _Aaaannnnd back to normal Gibbs. _Tony and McGee think. As the grumpy agent disappears down the stairs.

**A/N: Just a short one, will go back to more Kate perspective in the next chapter. Thank you for all of you who've followed this story! I hope you're all enjoying it as much as I enjoy writing it! Again, reviews are always appreciated, if you have the time :D**

**Claire**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Huge thank you to cm209, Kibbsalways and ShotGunGirl2015 (who I can only presume is from the future?) for their continued support, advice and help with this fanfic! Luf you guys ;)**

**Chapter 23:**

If only walking could take you away from all your troubles. Every step adding distance between you and whatever causes you pain. If only.

Kate wonders aimlessly around the theatre, stumbling out of the nearest exit she's met with a cool D.C breeze. Breathing it in, she hardly notices the flurry of armed agents storm past her. They disappear as the door closes to the theatre. The alley is plunged into darkness.

The harsh city lights drown the stars. Only the mood resides in the sky. A point to focus on. A glimmer of light in the darkness.

Kate steps to have her back against the alley's brick wall. Resting her head against it, she looks up at the moon.

_Ironic, that it only shines because the sun is shining. That if the sun were to die, the moon would not be bright anymore. Existing, yes, but _alive, _ never leads to good things, only worse for the living…Death sucks._

Anger suddenly courses through her and Kate turns to punch the wall, kicking a trash can, pummelling anything in reach. She ignores the pain, hell she's had so much of it why bother trying to stop the inevitable.

Hearing loud crashes, Gibbs heads toward the sound. Opening a door to an alleyway, he's lost for words at what he sees. Kate's knuckles are bloody, her trousers and jacket torn. Gibbs rushes to stop her attack on the world. Holding her from behind, he wraps his arms around her, forcing her to stop moving.

"Shhhh, Kate, it's OK."

In a second she changes from calming to frantic. She shouts, "GET OFF OF ME! You bastard, GET OFF!"

In shock, Gibbs loosens his grip slightly, allowing the chance for Kate to twist her arm free and elbow Gibbs in the face.

As pain explodes from his nose, he releases Kate; who immediately bolts for the street.

"Kate!" Gibbs shouts, blood trickling from his nose into his mouth. He regains his, momentarily blurred, vison and rushes to follow her. As he reaches the road, it's clear he took too long to recover. Kate had already disappeared into the darkness. The moon isn't bright enough to show him where she is.

If only. Kate's confusion overrides everything. She can't remember how she got here, why or when.

She's lying on a lumpy mattress. It's not completely dark in the room, light trickles through the faded blue (now grey with age) curtains.

Rolling over in the bed, Kate winces as pain shoots up her legs, like she'd done a marathon yesterday or something.

Trying to focus on where she is, she slides her hands to her sides and pushes down to lift her torso off the bed, only for pain to rocket through them too.

Squinting down at herself, she can see the dark bruises and bloody gashes on her fists. She's still wearing her work clothes, although they are torn and dirty.

Assertively, she checks herself for further injuries, in full survival mode: bruises to her feet and shins, small bruise on her elbow and a cut to her right knee, along with her hands, it's still nothing serious, but worrying none the less. Not the injuries, but how she got them.

Kate check to see if she has her phone or her badge, neither seem to be present. Her gun is still in its holster next to the bed, though, and she picks it up. Checking her weapon, 2 shots are missing. _It's recently fired. God, what the hell is going on!_

Other than the bed Kate's sitting on, the room also contains a small lamp on the bedside table, and a cheap cable phone is next to it. _I must be in a motel or something, don't think I was with anyone….well my clothes are still ON, so that's probably a good tell-tale sigh I was alone last night… what else is new. _Wondering how she paid for the room, Kate checks the key-ring in the small zip pocket on the front of her jacket. It was something McGee had told her about, put money in it and no thief would notice it, but you still have cash for emergencies. Taking the lid off the small piece of metal, it's clear there's nothing inside. _I had more than 100$ I there!_

Deciding she's had enough of her amnesia, or whatever this was, she reaches for the phone beside the bed. Knowing the number by hear, she dials Gibbs' cell, only to be told it wasn't in the area available to contact.

Slamming the phone down, she takes her gun and heads for the door; in search of a phone box or something that works!

Opening the door, it takes a few seconds for Kate to process the fact that it's hot outside….really hot…like, not D.C. hot….

_I'm 'not in the area'…..am I in a different state?!_

**A/N: The next chapter is up too (I know this is short but I thought it was a good 'break point' in the scene). xx Claire**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: I still don't own NCIS...bummer, I know.**

**Chapter 24:**

Knowing that she has everything wither her, Kate slams the motel door closed behind her. Heading for the steps down to the ground floor, she slides her hand down the cheap metal railing.

Out of nowhere her mind flashes back to when she last did that. In a dark room… no dark staircase. But she's going up, not down, and the stairs aren't solid, more like a scaffolding frame of some sort.

As quickly as it came, the image disappears. _When was that? WHERE was that? _Clutching at the disappearing mental image, Kate tries to recollect further details but each time her mind just goes hazy.

Deciding it's more important for her safety to know where she is now, rather than then, Kate heads for the Motel reception. Her footsteps echo off the lino flooring, alerting the receptionist to her presence. "Can I help you?" The heavily tanned man behind the counter asks; eying Kate up and down appreciatively.

Ignoring the drooling expression on his face, she asks, "Can you tell me where I am?"

Clearly taken aback, the receptionist replies, "Err…Sun beach Motel." Whilst pointing at the sign above his head that reads the same.

"Actually, I meant where I am in America." She keeps her voice calm, polite.

The guy sneers at her, "Boy, you must have had a lot to drink last night if you can't even remember what STATE you're in!"

"Would you just answer the question!" Kate's patience at the confusing situation she is in is beginning to run thin.

"We're in Miami, Florida. If you want, I could give you a guided tour." The tanned guy grins at Kate, looking her up and down again. He notices her bloody hands and leans back asking, "Hey, are you hurt? Need me to call an ambulance?"

"Ugh, NO! Look can I just borrow your phone, I need to call someone in D.C." She tries to remain calm, but panicky confusion is mounting in her head, she really needs to talk to someone with more than 2 brain cells. Someone she trusts.

"Err…yeah, sure…okay." The guy pulls out his phone, holding it out for Kate to take.

"Thank you." Kate manages to huff out, before taking it and walking down the corridor slightly so he won't hear what she's saying.

She tries dialling Gibbs' number again and is beyond grateful when it goes through and starts ringing.

"Gibbs." A gruff voice barks over the phone.

"Gibbs? It's me, Kate. Look, I don't know-"

"Kate! Where the hell are you?!"

"Miami, but I don't-"

"MIAMI?!" Gibbs shouts before mumbling, "yeah, Tony, that's where she says she is."

"Look, Gibbs can I just speak for a second!"

"I know it's been a tough day, but you need to come back OK? We will help you get through this."

"Wait….get through what?"

"What do you mean 'what'?"

"I mean, I've been trying to tell you, I can't remember how I got here, why I came here or how I got loads of cuts on my hands and legs. I was hoping you'd be able to fill in the blanks. What happened yesterday?"

Gibbs remains silent for a moment, trying to take this in. Kate doesn't remember. Extreme trauma can sometimes bring on amnesia and memory loss, a protective state so you don't have to feel the pain. But Kate….really…it was…was that traumatic…that painful that she subconsciously shut down, blotted out all the memories and went to Miami of all places? She's in a worse state than he had images. When they couldn't get hold of her, he assumed she just wanted to be alone. For a few hours he allowed it. But when she refused to answer her phone, he got McGee to trace it. It lay abandoned on the street a few blocks from the Theatre. They went to her apartment and she wasn't there either. She had just….disappeared.

They'd spend the last 7 hours trying to track her down, but without any luck. When he heard her voice he was relieved, for about a second, then he just got annoyed at how she had made them worry and work to find her. But now…now he didn't know what to say or do. She may not even believe him if he told her the truth.

Either way, he wasn't going to say anything over the phone. This was something she needed to hear face to face.

"Ok, don't worry…just….get a cab back to D.C., to NCIS, then we'll figure this thing out."  
"But, what happened? Gibbs I need to know!"

"get a cab, I'll explain later." The line goes dead before Kate can protest further. For a few seconds she simply looks at the screen that reads "call ended."

_It must be really bad if he won't even say over the phone…and that he wants me to take a cab; that's going to cost a fortune._

She makes her way back to the receptionist.

"Here," she hands him his phone back, "Thanks. Can you call a cab, please."

"Yeah, sure." He seems to have recovered from his initial shock at seeing her bashed up hands. "And hey, here's my number, next time you go out partying that hard, invite me." He winks and smirks slyly, passing her a piece of paper with his number on.

"Riiiiight…I think I'm going to just wait out front for the cab." She puts the paper in her pocket and walks out the door. Kate assumes he was probably watching her ass as she did so, but she no longer cared, just glad she was going to be back home soon.

**A/N: As always, follow and review if you want to :D Claire xx**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Surprisingly enough I still don't own NCIS or any other things you recognise…**

**Chapter 25:**

The drive back to D.C. seemed to last a lifetime. Driving up the coast, she'd seen endless people having fun: Children playing with Kites, teenagers surfing and couples having romantic walks. For some reason, it all seemed surreal. Like Kate was in a bubble, seeing everything around her yet not truly living it.

She hated feeling this way. As if she were a stranger to herself. Not knowing what caused it only made matters worse.

In the hours stuck to the backseat of a cab, she goes over possible actions she may have taken that landed herself in this mess.

_I took some sort of crazy drug… no, I'd never do drugs…. _

_I was drugged by someone? But that doesn't explain the bruises.._

_I was in a fight…at…at a bar or something where I got so drunk I though it necessary to beat up people and catch a train to Miami. Nope I don't feel hung-over._

_I'm mentally insane. Well, that's probably the most likely of the 3….and that's just as crazy as the others._

_Eugh, why couldn't Gibbs just TELL me! This mental torture is going to drive me insane, if I'm not already._

_Surely nothing's worse than not knowing! With Gibbs, I barely know anything about him, the actual Leroy Jethro – not special agent, but that's an 'unknown' that is (although annoying at times) acceptable. It's not like Gibbs knows everything about me…_

The cab pulls over for gas and the driver interrupts Kate's thoughts, "Mind if we take a lunch break, mam?"

"Oh, right, yeah sure. I'll meet you back here in, like, half an hour?" She replies.

"Fantastic, I'm starving!" The man replies as both get out of the cab.

Kate heads over to the small gas station shop. Inside, she' welcomed by a wave of cool air from the refrigerated isle. Heading in that direction, she picks out a meat free, cheese and tomato sandwich (not trusting the petrol station meat to be safe). She then turns to walk to the counter to pay. Kate adds a water bottle to the sandwich and the cashier totals the cost, "That'll be 3$" he says, in a droning tone, clearly out of his mind.

Realising she hadn't checked her pockets to see if she had any money left over from the previous night, Kate hastily empties her pockets. Taking out each ones contents, she finds: the paper with the receptionist's number, a few pennies and another piece of thick folded paper (_I'll find out what that is later)_before finally retrieving a crumpled 10$ note to pay with.

Picking a shady picnic bench to sit on, Kate opens the sandwich box and takes a bite. She hadn't realised how hungry she was until not. Not having breakfast, and all the stress and confusion, had completely thrown her appetite.

She'd put all the pocket's contents on the table and now begins working her way through them, returning items to their relative pockets. She scrunches up the phone number, but decides to put it in her pocket anyway. The thick folded paper is left on the bench top, the only piece she didn't recognise.

_What even is this? _Kate asks herself, licking her fingers as she finishes her sandwich. She takes a swig of water before opening it. She was just about able to stop herself spitting the water out at what she sees.

The image of Ari and Kate. _I thought Gibbs shredded this? Did someone slip it into my pocket? _She looks around, alert for possible threats, before remembering she had seen it when she was back at the motel. Again, Kate crumples the paper in front of her, and again she stops herself from throwing it away. Something was gnawing in the back of her mind, a memory or a thought or a feeling. Not knowing how to trust any of these in herself anymore.

Kate roughly runs her hands though her hair, shutting her eyes and praying this will all make sense soon. Before she does something stupid.

After the call from Kate, Gibbs had been distracted. Not commenting on any of Tony's stupid remarks and gave an almost blank stare when Abby came up to check for news.

After a few hours, Gibbs had said he was going to get coffee…. That was over an hour ago.

Tony, McGee and Abby sit in the bullpen waiting to be told what to do. The FBI had taken over the Haswari investigation due to the team's personal involvement with the case.

_It almost would have been better if we'd had the case to deal with, sitting here…all I can think about is Kate. _Tony hasn't even seen her since she ran out of the NCIS truck the previous night. He didn't have time to talk to her about Ari – in life or death.

Tony clenches his fist at the thought of Kate having sex with that… _No, don't even think about it. You'll only end up punching McGee to make yourself feel better. And we know he bruises like a peach. _Tony tells himself. Looking over at McGee, the agent seems to have something to do. Tony leans back in his chair to get a better view of the younger man's computer screen.

"Is our Elf lord conquering a new realm?" He teases as he watches McGee tap instructions violently on his keyboard; making his computer game character move.

"Be quiet, I'm trying to concentrate." He snaps back.

_I may not be able to punch him, but anno, frustrate and manipulate…well, they're pretty much my middle name! Wait, middle name's…they're pretty much my….oh never mind._

Tony saunters over to the neighbouring desk as McGee mumbles techno babble at the screen.

Acknowledging McGee's growing anger he leans in to whisper in his ear, "I hate to tell you this, McBanner, but they can't hear you."

The distraction clearly pays off as McGee slams the keyboard and shouts, "I was just about to beat my RECORD!"

Abby walks over, glad for the distraction from her concern for Kate. "Really? Tony, why'd you do that?" She scowls at him.

Tony fakes innocence. "Do what?"

"Oh, come on, you did it on purpose!" McGee sands, facing off with Tony.

"Did what on purpose? Huh, McGee, what did I do?" Tony pushes, stepping closer to the other agent.

"I was asking myself the same question."  
All the team's heads whip round to see Kate leaning against her desk, observing their petty argument.

"KATE! Oh, thank God you're Ok!" Abby runs to hug her before anyone else has a chance to react.

As Kate wraps her arms around the scientist, she hears Tony and McGee gasp. Lifting her head from Abby's shoulder, she wears a confused expression.

"What happened to your hands, Kate?" Tony breaths, softer and quieter than usual. As if the sight of her bloody hands changed something in him.

It dawned on her that he, nor any of the rest of the team, had ever actually seen her bleeding. She'd been bruised, beaten and malnourished, but never broken her skin.

Abby instantly pushes Kate's shoulders back away from her to examine her hands.

"I answer to your question, Tony, I don't know. I don't remember anything of last night…or yesterday. Gibbs said he'd fill in the banks." She looks around the bullpen for said agent but comes up empty. Kate winces involuntarily as Abby prods her hand.

"Sorry! Didn't mean to hurt you." Abby winces herself at causing further pain to Kate.

"You should probably get Ducky to check you over." Tony says, unable to hide the worry in his voice.

Kate's about to retort with a sarcastic comment, but Abby jumps forward, pulling Kate's arm with her. "I'll take you down!" She says brightly.

_A little too brightly…she's probably trying to hide her worry too. What IS everyone so worried about? What are they hiding._

**A/N: The 'McBanner' reference was to Bruce Banner from Marvel comics….better known as the Hulk. Thought it fitted quite well :D**

**Updates will be spaced out a bit more as I am struggling to decide where to take this. So I'm taking my time to make it really good. But when I've written it, you'll read it! **

**Claire :D**


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